Konoha's Mightiest Disciple
by AnimeMaster24
Summary: Following the defeat of Ragnarok, several new fighters arrive in the city. Naruto Uzumaki and his fellow disciples from the Konoha Dojo across town have transferred to Kenichi's school, but problems arise for everyone when a new gang appears to take Ragnarok's former territory! Will the Shinpaku Alliance make new allies, or will this new enemy crush them all? Naruto/HSDK crossover
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Konoha Dojo! **

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

**ANONYMOUS REVIEWS NOW ACCEPTED!**

Naruto snored loudly as the alarm beside his bed went off, his hand instinctively swatting it against the wall. Once the noise had been silenced, he rolled over and snuggled back into his nest of blankets, his eyes still tightly closed as if he hadn't heard anything to begin with. The spiky-haired blonde had spent the previous day practicing his fighting skills in a series of rigorous sessions that pushed him beyond normal limits. The efforts had drained him, but it was nothing that some sleep and a bowl of ramen couldn't fix.

Someone knocked on his door twice, but after a minute of receiving now answer the visitor decided to let herself in. A girl with green eyes and shoulder-length pink hair slid into his room, her eyes quickly gravitating towards the articles of discarded clothing, empty ramen cups, and old candy wrappers with minor disgust. Being careful not to disturb anything, she came to a stop beside his bed, her foot tapping against the floor as if she expected him to notice her.

"Hey, Naruto… It's time to wake up." She prodded his sleeping form with her index finger before giving him a gentle shake. Reaching down, she pulled the covers off of him and poked him again, but her efforts were in vain. "Ugh, I swear this knucklehead could sleep through a tornado if he wanted."

To her surprise the blonde teenager smiled eerily, his arms wrapping tightly around his pillow like it was a lover. "Mmmm… Sakura. Should we really do all that stuff now?" he mumbled dreamily, his perverted expression deepening by the moment as a deep flush engulfed his cheeks.

"NA-RU-TO… …" she hissed, her right hand instinctively forming into a fist. A large vein throbbed on her forehead, causing the pink-haired girl to lose her composure instantly.

Sakura clenched her fists before resisting the urge to punch him, instead grabbing the side of his bed and toppling him over onto the floor. A small scream escaped the boy's throat as he hit the floor, following by the soft thud of his body hitting the carpet. Placing his hands on the ground between his legs, he bolted upright and looked around with a dazed expression. The young man rubbed the back of his head, his eyes settling on the pink-haired girl standing in front of him.

"Oh, morning Sakura!" he replied, rubbing his eyes with a sleepy look. "Did you have to wake me up now, I was having such a nice dream."

She grit her teeth tightly before grabbing the pillow off the ground and tossing it at him with all the strength she could muster. He caught it with a slightly frightened expression, looking shocked that someone so innocent looking girl could toss a sack of cotton with enough force to knock down the average man. When she paused to exhale, the blonde pushed himself into a standing position and tried to start the conversation over.

His eyes moved towards the clock to his right, quickly noting that it was only already ten in the morning. "The old folks don't usually wake us up early on a Saturday. So, what's up?"

"You really are an idiot." Sakura stated, causing her friend to cringe humorously. Although she had been deeply annoyed only second ago, her tone was much calmer now.

He cocked his head to the side. "Is there something going on that I should know about?"

"I can't believe you forgot about something so important!" Looking at his clueless expression, she could tell he was being honest. She groaned deeply, rubbing a hand against her forehead with exasperation. "Don't you remember? The elder said we were supposed to gather in the foyer of the main building this morning so that he can make an announcement."

"Oh yeah, the old man did say something like that." Naruto picked his ear while casually flicking away a piece of wax. After a moment his expression changed when the notion finally sunk in. "Wait a minute! Does that mean he's finally going to select one of us to become a new master?"

Sakura shrugged. "I sincerely doubt it… He said it was really important, but if anyone was going to be given such a big promotion, I'm betting it wouldn't be a slacker like you! Still, I suppose anything's possible in a place like this…"

"Oh yeah, now that's what I'm talking about!" The boy shot his fist into the air before pushing his visitor out the door with an exaggerated wave. "Just go on ahead without me! I'll catch up to the rest of you guys in a second!"

"All right, see you there!" The pink-haired girl flinched as he slammed the door in her face, her expression dropping. There were times when she found the boy to be completely intolerable, and yet for some reason she found it hard to stay angry with him for very long.

Naruto quickly pulled on a black pair of shorts and ran a hand through his spiky blonde hair. Looking around his messy room, he tossed a handful of garbage over his shoulder and into the trashcan, kicking several used shirts under his bed in an attempt to make the place look more presentable. After slipping on his sandals, he reached into the closet and pulled out his favorite orange t-shirt emblazoned with the dojo's leaf-shaped logo.

Quickening his pace, he stepped into the hallway and looked around, instantly noticing that there was no one else nearby. The corridors were very simple with plain white walls and old-fashioned wooden paneling, having been hand-built by the residents as a part of their intensive training. Those living within were all aspiring martial artists who had taken up residence in the dojo as full-time disciples. Naruto's case was slightly different from the majority of his pears, seeing how he never had a family, and the fighting school had been his first real home.

With a cheerful expression, the blonde rested his hands behind his head and went downstairs to the living area. It was a large room spanning the length of two or three bedrooms, filled with several armchairs, and wooden table, and a television. Although he expected everyone else to have left by now, he quickly caught sight of a familiar figure clad in a green jumpsuit, red sash, and orange leg warmers. His black hair was styled into a bowl-cut, and a pair of centipede-like eyebrows stood out prominently above his large round eyes and thick lower lashes.

"Hey Naruto! Glad to see you finally managed to get out of bed!" Rock Lee beckoned his friend over with a friendly wave.

"Morning, bushy brows… Glad to see I'm no the only one who overslept this morning."

The dark haired boy shook his head. "Actually I went with Guy-sensei on a nice forty-mile run this morning, and we only just got back. I came here to grab some breakfast before the big meeting, but it appears that the others have already left."

"Sheesh, do you two ever stop?" he questioned with a small groan.

"The process of bettering yourself should only end when you die! This is my firm belief as a true warrior and disciple of this dojo. Surely someone like you understands perfectly well what it means to have a philosophy in the martial arts. If someone moves forward without any type of reason whatsoever, they may lose themselves in the process and I cannot imagine anything…"

"So, are you coming with me or what?" Naruto turned for a moment and headed for the door.

"Just on second and I will be right there!" Lee sat down on one of the chairs and quickly finished dressing his bandages, having sustained more injuries during his morning training session.

After discarding the old layer and wrapping another one around his arms, the young man pulled to tighten them and used his teeth to bite off the excess before closing the first aid kit. He flexed his arms cautiously and punched at the air a few times to make sure the bandages wouldn't restrict his muscle movements. Once he was satisfied with the results, the green-clad fighter sprung into the air using his back legs, landing directly in front of Naruto with ease.

"Show off…" Naruto replied with a smile, casually kicking the door open with his left leg. "All right, let's get going so we don't get chewed out by the old man for being late to this thing."

"Right you are!" Lee flashed him a thumbs up as they exited the dormitories. "As my master always says, perfect timing is something that every martial artist must learn to master!"

The other teenager walked past him with a neutral look, his expression dulling for a second. "Y'know, I really doubt this is what he was talking about."

They headed across the grounds at a brisk jog with the green-clad fighter in the lead. Although it wasn't an actual race, he was known for turning everything into a competition if given the chance. Naruto glanced at the statues littering the training grounds as they ran, his eyes moving towards the sparring ring and wooden posts where the students were sent to train on a daily basis. The ground were very well kept, with several trees and bushes lining the paths, and stone streets leading from one building to the next.

In a matter of seconds they had reached the large pagoda-like structure situated in the center of the grounds. The tower was used as a general meeting place for the students and teachers like a school, and the upper levels served as the master's lodgings. While it was only three stories high, the building served as the central hub of their dojo due to the large number of rooms. Inside were a small dining room, study hall, library, and also a fighting area where official matches were held during martial arts events hosted by the teachers.

As they reached the front doors Lee glanced sideways at his longtime friend. "So, has anyone told you why the elder called us here today?"

"Don't look at me, I completely forgot about the whole thing until Sakura kicked my ass out of bed ten minutes ago." He replied with a shrug.

"Well, no time like the present to find out." The darker haired teen pushed the door open, allowing them to step inside the main compound.

The foyer was an extremely large room decorated with red carpets, two doorways leading to other rooms on the ground floor, and a large staircase direct across from the entrance leading to the higher levels. A pair of glass cases sat on each side of the stairs, one holding an old fashioned katana and several authentic weapons from the Sengoku period in Japan, the other containing a series of items traditionally used in the Chinese martial arts. Since it was morning, the lights were off, allowing the sun to fill the room through a series of large windows lining the back.

By the time the two stragglers arrived, the foyer was already filled with people. Standing on either side of he staircase were two rows of people with each student standing beside the teacher of his or her respective martial arts discipline. Sakura gave them a small glance as the two boys entered the hall, each of them approaching their respective master.

A large middle-aged man with waist-length white hair and red lines on his face, approached the blonde disciple, his serious demeanor warming as he clapped the boy on the shoulder. "It took you long enough, but at least you managed to show up."

Lee placed his fists together and bowed to a man wearing a similar outfit to his own. "I must also apologize for my tardiness, Master Guy." He raised his head with a resolute stare. "I will accept any punishment no matter how brutal!"

"No worries Lee, you were late because our morning routine carried on a bit longer than I expected." The green-clad master batted him a thumbs up and smiled widely, the sunlight glimmering brightly off the surface his teeth.

"Guy-sensei!" the boy screamed frantically, his eyes sparkling as he pulled his teacher into an awkward, bone-crushing hug.

The two men embraced in a humorous fashion with tears running down their faces, causing the others present to look away in embarrassment. Naruto turned his head while his master simply chose not to acknowledge the over-dramatized scene. The others began talking amongst each other, having long gotten used to the bizarre duo over the last few years.

"Will you two get a room?" The woman standing directly across from them stuck her tongue out with a childish look.

She was probably the shortest of the adults in the room, with dull brown eyes, large breasts and dark violet hair tied into a high spiky ponytail behind her head. Her style of dress was somewhat bizarre, her attire consisting of an orange mini-skirt, long tan overcoat, shin guards, and a tight-fitting mesh bodysuit that reached down to her knees while showing off her curves. Despite her different fashion sense, the woman carried herself with a sense of boundless confidence.

"No need to be so rude, Anko! After all, a strong bond between master and disciple is what fosters that deep sense of teamwork and companionship!" Guy explained proudly.

She spit on the floor. "That's fine and all, but it would be a lot easier if you two weren't so embarrassing to be around. That hair, those outfits… Have you looked in the mirror lately?"

Jiraiya folded his arms with a bored expression. "The last thing we need right now is for you two to be debating something so pointless. We all have our own sense of style!"

"You mean like that camouflage thingy you wear while spying on the girls bathhouse?" Naruto chimed in with a clever smirk.

The middle-aged man spun him around so that they were facing each other. "How many times do I have to tell you not to talk about that in front of other people."

"I knew a heard someone in the bushes last night!" Anko burst out with a grim laugh.

"Eeewwww, that's disgusting." The teenage girl standing next to her replied.

Anko's apprentice looked slightly uncomfortable at the thought, having been in hot springs with her mentor the previous night after their training session. Ino Yamanaka was roughly sixteen years old like the majority of the other disciples, with bright blue eyes, long blonde hair, and a slim shapely figure covered by a dark purple outfit that exposed her midriff and legs.

"Master Jiraiya, I can't believe you would stoop so low." She chastised him with an angry pout.

"He's been like that as long as I can remember." Sakura's master added with a disapproving nod.

Possessing the largest bust in the room Tsunade wore a gray kimono-style blouse that exposed some of her cleavage and a long green jacket with the kanji "gamble emblazoned on the back. She had pale skin, dark amber eyes, soft pick lips, and long blonde hair tied in two ponytails. A small blue diamond shaped mark sat in the center of her high forehead, and a large blue sash secured the front of her outfit. Known for her deceptively youthful appearance, she was technically just as old as Jiraiya.

She folded her arms with a smirk. "He tried peeping on me once years ago and almost lost his life. Luckily for him I was willing to suffice with breaking several of his ribs."

The old pervert glanced at his childhood friend with a smile. "Throw me a bone, will ya? If you keep telling stories like that, people might start getting the wrong impression."

"How so?" Tsunade cocked an eyebrow with an inquisitive glint.

"You made me sound like a little pervert… I'm a big pervert!" he responded proudly.

Although it was nothing they hadn't heard before, the masters had a strange mix of reactions to this statement. Guy remained impassive, Anko burst out laughing, and Tsunade fought the urge to roll her eyes. Standing away from the four of them were the remaining three masters, each of which seemed keen not to get involved.

The first was a woman with long untamed brown hair, dark red lips, and piercing red eyes lined with purple eye shadow. Known as Kurenai Yuhi, she wore a white outfit that came down to her knees covered with black patterns, leaving her arms and legs exposed. The man next to her was Asuma Sarutobi, the son of the dojo's leader. He was rather tall and possessed a darker skin tone than the others with spiky black hair and a beard. His rugged appearance was complimented by his dark tattered dark green pants and a dingy colored vest that displayed his muscular arms.

While the pair talked in whispers about nothing in particular. The last of the group's masters stood away from the others as if he lacked the desire to speak to them. Kakashi Hatake had an aloof appearance with tall spiky gray hair held away from his face by the presence of a headband, and a mask covered the lower half of his face. His calm features held a lazy expression, and his eyes remained intensely focused on the book in his hand. The masked man's clothing consisted of a simple robe with green pants, a white top, and a simple pair of sandals.

Naruto tapped his shoulder. "Hey, Master Kakashi! How's it going?"

"Fine, I suppose…" The masked man lowered his book with a sleepy expression. "I took last night off to perform a job for one of my clients, so forgive me if I'm a little bit tired."

"No wonder you look like a truck just backed over you. So what was it this time? Bodyguard duty, espionage, or did they some people just hire you to do their grocery shopping."

The martial arts master immediately noticed a sense of eagerness radiating from the boy and continued. "I have a feeling that you honestly don't care in any case. Judging by your demeanor, there must something important that you want to ask me?"

"I guess you could say that?" Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously. "Do you know what this big announcement's gonna be about? So far none of the other disciples have any clue, and since Master Jiraiya didn't wanna say anything, I figure you might be willing to drop a hint."

Kakashi seemed intrigued the teenager's genuine curiosity, although he remained impassive. "Well, that must mean the elder wants it to be a secret. Because of that, it wouldn't be my place to give you the information head of time." He smiled behind his mask. "You'll just have to wait until we makes the announcement."

"Damn…" Naruto realized that he wasn't going to say anything and went to stand beside his own master, only to see the old pervert engaged in a conversation with Tsunade.

Turning his head away, he walked in the opposite direction only to run into two more of his fellow disciples. The first was a teenager named Shikamaru Nara, with brown hair tied back into a spiky topknot, and a pronounced look of disinterest. He wore a simple green t-shirt with a gray jacket, blue lining, and black pants. His friend Choji Akimichi was a larger man with a husky build, full round face, and long spiky brown hair reaching down his back. His outfit consisted of a red jumpsuit with metal guards on his legs and wrists and a pair of combat gloves.

"Oh, hey guys. What's up?" the blonde greeted his companions with a cheerful expression.

"We're just waiting for this thing to start." Choji learned in to whisper in his friend's ear. "So, did you figure out what's going on yet, or has your master refused to say anything too?"

Naruto exhaled slowly before letting out small grunt. "Nah, the old pervert wouldn't tell me anything. I tried asking Master Kakashi, but he just sorta ignored the question. Must be something pretty big if the old geezer wanted us all together to make the announcement."

"Either way, this meeting is a real drag…" Shikamaru placed his hands in his pockets and leaned back against a nearby pillar. "If it weren't for this thing today, I could've slept in and spent the afternoon playing shogi. Knowing the old timer's methods, we were probably called here for some kind of special joint training session."

"Sheesh, do you always have to look on the bright side. I'm still pooped from yesterday's session!" the blonde boy groaned loudly.

Rock Lee literally jumped into the conversation, landing amongst trio with a spirited smile. "If it is more training, then we should accept it with open arms! What better way to spend a day off improving one's skills and teamwork while working alongside the masters!"

"Typical Lee… Always ready for back-breaking labor." Choji commented with a sigh.

"As martial artists, we must always strive to be the strongest!" the green-clad ninja screamed.

Shikamaru looked on with a neutral expression, his tone unshakably calm when he spoke. "Yeah, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have to do everything at once. Sometimes taking it easy and giving yourself a breather can just as beneficial as running two hundred laps around the city. Know what I mean?"

Rock Lee squared up to him with a fire in his eyes. "Nothing is more invigorating than training!"

"I don't think he knows what you mean." Naruto mused with a relaxed expression.

The room's occupants fell silent as the sound of footsteps reached their ears, causing the students to return to their masters. They diverted their attention to the stairs in time to see the source of the noise was indeed the master of the dojo. Hiruzen Sarutobi was an elderly man with a shorter build, light skin, a thick goatee, and short spiky hair. Due to advanced age, his face was heavily lined and dotted with the occasional liver spot and a wart on the left side of his nose. The elder wore a full-length red robe with long sleeves, a long white cloak, and matching sash.

Despite his relatively diminutive size, the elder held himself up with strength and pride, a certain sense of grace belying each of his subtle movements. In his right hand he carried a large wooden staff finely engraved with a complicated series of markings. The head of the stick was engraved to resemble the face of a monkey. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, the old man eyed each of his charges pensively, his deadpan expression twisting into a welcoming smile.

"Ah, it is very good to see that everyone was able to attend." Sarutobi nodded with a cheerful expression, his eyes sweeping back and forth to observe each of his charges. "I must say you are all looking very well this morning. Now without further ado "

Asuma removed a cigarette from his pocket during the brief pause, lighting it with a casual flick of his wrist. "Save the pleasantries for later, pops. After listening in on their conversation, I can tell these kids are burning to know the reason you called everyone here."

"Yeah, what is this about old man?" Naruto added, barely hiding his own eagerness. Jiraiya thumped the back of his head with a fatherly expression, causing the blonde teenager to snarl at his master for treating him like a child.

Hiruzen let out a light-hearted chuckle before tapping his walking stick against the floor with a more serious expression. "Very good to see you all in such high spirits. If the disciples of this dojo would be so kind as to step forward, we can begin immediately."

His six disciples moved away from their respective masters and formed a line directly in front of the elder. While the girls looked relatively nervous, Naruto and Lee appeared eager to listen. In comparison Choji appeared reserved and calm while Shikamaru wore a look that suggested he was actually bored with the proceedings. Even though his demeanor gave off the opposite impression, those who knew him were certain that he was perfectly focused on the proceedings.

The old master cleared his throat before continuing. "As you have no doubt been informed by this point in time, we called you here to make an important announcement. Each and every disciple standing before me today has proven to be a strong martial artist, excelling in your respective disciplines." Sarutobi walked down the line of students looking very proud. "You each possess qualities essential to the art of fighting… Strength, speed, skill, cunning, creativity, intelligence…"

"So what's the deal? Are we getting some kind of prize?" Naruto questioned the others.

When the elder did not answer right away, Jiraiya stepped forward to speak. "In a way, we suppose you could say that." He turned back to his former teacher. "What do you say old man?"

"Yes, indeed…" Hiruzen agreed with a small nod, his ironclad gaze extending to the younger group of fighters. "We the Masters of Konoha have agreed to select a single student and bestow that person with the glory of becoming this dojo's number one disciple!"

Sakura looked slightly uncomfortable. "I don't see how setting one person apart from the others with a fancy title would do anything but cause trouble. I'm guessing there's more to this."

"In either case it sounds like this will be a real honor!" Lee folded his hands and bowed his head.

To everyone's surprise, Kakashi Hatake sauntered over to join the main group. "It would seem that you all have the wrong impression about this. To be chosen as the number one disciple of this dojo is much more than an honor… It is a privilege that will grant several new challenges for the person who it is given to."

Naruto leaned back and closed his eyes with a distasteful expression. "Sounds pretty cool, but you really oughta give us the details instead of just beating around the bush."

"Yeah, what kind of benefits do we get?" Choji added with a genuinely curious look.

"More importantly, how must we prove ourselves worthy of this title?" Lee spoke out excitedly.

Anko Mitarashi placed her hands on her hips with an amused expression before turning to their superior. "So what do you think, old man? It looks like these maggots are really getting into it!"

Sarutobi nodded moved back to his original position at the foot of the stairs before tapping his stick against the floor to grab their attention. Once all eyes were back on him, he addressed the students again. "As of now each disciple has been training with the master who specializes in a specific discipline, but the person deemed most worthy will be presented with the privilege of learning from each of the masters of Konoha!"

A silence fell between the disciples as they exchanged glances, each of the group looking as if they were not certain what to think. Training in a single discipline was difficult enough, but the idea of learning them all sounded nearly impossible in comparison. Sakura was still feeling the pain in her side from the previous day's training with his own master, while Shikamaru looked incredibly disinterested with the idea altogether. Ino blinked with a puzzled expression, while Choji did his best to retain a sense of calm.

Without warning, Rock Lee threw his fist in the air and cheered. "This sounds like a most exciting prospect for anyone who trains in the art of fighting! I would be most eager to be chosen for this wonderful opportunity!"

Sakura smiled despite her initial surprise. "Sounds pretty cool, but which one of us was chosen?"

"Naturally they would pick whichever one of us they consider the strongest." Choji suggested.

Tsunade ignored the outburst and instead spoke to the group as a whole. "This title is far more significant than you seem to understand. The student chosen will hold the responsibility of mastering all forms of Konoha's martial arts. To be given such a responsibility is much more than an honor… It is a responsibility!"

"Very well said, Tsunade." Hiruzen agreed with a calm expression. "Without further ado, I will announce the person we have picked to fill this role and carry on the legacy of this dojo. Naruto Uzumaki, please step forward!"

Everyone frozen for a second as the other students turned to stare at him, each looking slightly annoyed by the current turn of events. As far as skills went, the young fighters had always been around the same level of strength and fighting experience with some of them performing better at specific tasks than the others. Even armed with this knowledge, it was somewhat surprising that any of them would have been signaled out so suddenly as standing above his or her peers.

The blonde-haired teen blinked absent mindedly before obeying the order. "You picked me." He gestured back at himself with his left thumb before rubbing his head anxiously before voicing everyone else's thoughts. "I guess I'm pretty awesome, but why did you pick me? Shikamaru's way smarter, and Lee works about a hundred times harder than the rest of us!"

"Speak for yourself, knucklehead." Ino commented glumly before folding her arms.

The elder shook his head slowly. "Everything that you say is absolutely true, but know now that we did not make this decision without several months of hard deliberation."

"The truth is, we've been watching you kids ever since you began training in this place." Jiraiya held up his hand with an unusually serious look. "As your sensei, we recognize that each one of you has the work ethic and talent to become a master."

Guy responded with a wide grin. "No matter how much some of us consider our own students to be special, we were eventually forced to pick someone who we believed had the most potential. In doing this we had to focus less on that which you can do, but rather what you may become."

"He may be the world's biggest doofus, but the boy's got a lot of spunk." Anko Mitarashi replied grudgingly. "Kinda reminds me of the way I was when I was his age."

"I keeping with this decision, we have all acknowledged that this child possesses the strongest will of all of our students, in addition to a powerful desire to become stronger no matter what the cost!" Hiruzen explained with a resolute air, his eyes settling on the blonde teenager standing in front. "Naruto Uzumaki, from this day forward, you will be Konoha's number one disciple!"

"I guess I'll give it my best shot. Who would have thought that I was the best choice for something like this?" He responded with a slightly embarrassed look.

"Don't get cocky." Asuma warned with a craft expression. "Now you've got about seven times the amount of work on your plate compared to before."

Naruto took a moment to count the masters on his fingers and grimaced with a mingled sense of confusion and annoyance. "Wait a minute, there are only six of you guys. What did you mean by saying that I'll have seven times the lessons?"

Hiruzen cleared his throat rather loudly as he approached the boy. "If you are to carry on the spirit of this dojo in its entirety, that includes learning how to master my own techniques as well as those of the others. Starting tomorrow morning, I shall take charge of your training from Master Jiraiya."

"Wait, the old man's going to be my teacher instead of you?" he glanced up at his master.

The white-haired man patted his disciple firmly on the shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry about it too much. Since the top students trains with everybody, you'll still be my disciple. Although from now on, the old man will have control over coordinating your daily sessions instead of me."

Tsunade placed her hands on her hips and begrudged him a smile. "Don't forget that this intense new training regimen is also in addition to all of your current responsibilities. I trust you'll make us proud, Naruto. If not, we may be forced to rescind this decision."

"So you're saying that if this sucks, I can just drop out at any time?" the boy replied sheepishly.

While a few of the masters groaned with irritation, Sarutobi seemed to find his comment rather amusing. "You always did have a sense of humor… Nevertheless, we would not have chosen you for this if you were the type of man to give into adversity so easily. The majority of us are confident that you will at least survive."

Sakura Haruno moved past him and bowed her head. "With all due respect, I remember you saying that Naruto's training was to commence tomorrow, which incidentally is also our first day as transfer students to a new school. Don't you think we already have enough to worry about?"

"We'll have plenty of time to discuss the details of his training afterwards. Tomorrow afternoon once you return, I would greatly appreciate it if you would come by my personal quarters so that we may discuss your future regimen." The elder elaborated.

"All right, you've guys have got my attention. I promise to be there on time and ready to go!"

Sakura let out an exaggerated cough. "Gimme a break, you're almost never on time."

Naruto returned his expression eagerly before copying Lee's nice guy pose. "C'mon, I won't let you guys down!"

"That's the spirit!" Guy encouraged him before giving his new student a hearty slap on the back before standing on one leg and posing with his arms in the air. "Couldn't expect anything less from a true warrior like you, now could we?"

Several of the room's occupants sweat-dropped behind their backs, looking slightly embarrassed again by the green-clad ninja's odd mannerisms, even though no one was rude enough to say anything out loud. As the others began talking amongst each other once more, a loud gurgling sound interrupted the din. All eyes were on Naruto again, who had incidentally become the source of the group's fascination for a second time.

"Sorry, I haven't had breakfast yet. Guess I'm a little bit hungry." He rationalized.

Hiruzen let out a light-hearted chortle before turning back to the teenagers. "So you are… Now that we've made the announcement, everyone here is free to head back to your lodgings and enjoy the rest of this glorious Sunday morning."

When no one moved right away, Anko grew impatient with the group and decided to hurry things long. "You maggots heard him… Get out!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Slowly the group filed from the hall and separated into different factions. The group of disciples headed off together in a group back towards their living quarters while Jiraiya departing in the opposite direction towards the master's lodgings, while Tsunade exited through the back door leading into the kitchens. Asume and Kurenai took the path leading to the exit of the dojo's grounds, while Guy went to the training grounds to continue his morning routine. Kakashi let out a soft sigh and departed at a leisurely pace with no particular destination in mind.

"Looks like the master's have taken a real liking to you, Naruto?" Sakura commented.

"Gee, thanks Sakura!" He answered with a cheerful expression. "Who would've thought that they would pick me? I mean, you guys are all pretty good at fighting too."

Choji shrugged off the notion. "The elder said they picked the person most likely to live through this new training without giving up. You have to admit, learning several different styles of martial arts sounds like a lot of hard work. It's just like the masters said!"

"Don't be modest… It sounds like a living Hell!" Shikamaru stroked the back of his neck with a deadpan expression. "I'm just glad they didn't pick me, or else I might have refused."

"Which is exactly why they didn't pick you." Naruto mumbled absent-mindedly.

Ino could only shake her head. "I still don't get what's so special about this particular title. I mean sure it's cool to learn a bunch of different fighting styles, but how on Earth does that make you better? Isn't the martial arts about mastering one discipline and learning to use it perfectly rather than taking a little bit from several?"

"How dare you doubt our comrades capabilities!" Lee shot back fiercely.

"Well excuse me… It's not a crime that the rest of us aren't as boundlessly energetic and optimistic and you." She retorted with a casual gesture.

The bushy browed fighter stomped his foot against the pavement with excessive force. "Surely you jest! If one does not believe they can do everything, then said person will never achieve their full potential. This is not only as a martial artist, but also as a human being."

"A little bit dramatic for my taste, but I suppose it makes sense." Choji shrugged it off.

The blonde girl looked slightly annoyed. "Are you guys saying this would be easy?"

"Calm down you guys." The pink-haired girl standing in front considered them for a minute. "It's not that I don't have faith in our teachers, but she does make a good point. I wonder if a single person can really learn several different styles of fighting at once without getting confused. I mean, we already know Naruto's already enough of a knucklehead as it is."

Naruto frowned with an exaggerated moan. "C'mon Sakura, the least you can do is give me a little bit of credit."

"It wasn't meant to be an insult… I'm just saying that you can be pretty scatter-brained already. Imagine juggling seven times the work you have now and then tell me with a straight face that you can handle it." She elaborated carefully.

The blonde-haired boy stopped for a moment and tapped his head with a thoughtful expression, beads of sweat forming on his brow. Upon realizing that he had fallen behind them, his friends paused and turned to see what he was doing. After a minute or two of considering everything that he had learned about the new title, Naruto's arms drooped like a pair of limp noodles and he raised his head with an expression that rivaled even Shikamaru's.

"Wow, now that you mention it, it does sound like a pain in the ass." He answered with a sigh.

"Too you long enough." Sakura imitated his gesture. "Well, that's typical Naruto, I guess."

Shikamaru approached him from behind. "You did all that boasting over the last few years about one day being the greatest martial artist in the world. Please don't tell me you plan on quitting as soon as things start getting tough."

Naruto sprung back to life almost instantly. "When you put it that way, I guess there's no choice. The kind of man goes back on his word isn't worthy of being called a man at all!"

At the mention of this, the blonde-haired boy remembered a promise he had made years ago to his best friend, causing a dismal shadow to flash across his face for a second. Looking up he was relieved to see that his companions had begun talking amongst themselves again. Behind him, Sakura noticed his initial expression only top watch him cover it with a smile. She guessed at what he was thinking, but refused to voice her thoughts in mixed company.

"Hey, I just remembered something important that I needed to do!" he shouted to catch their attention. Turning around, he began running in the opposite direction.

Lee struck a karate pose. "If you need some help, I would be happy to lend my assistance!"

Naruto turned his head for a second. "Nah, it's nothing big. I'll catch up to you guys in an hour back at the dorms, all right?"

"Don't let us keep you." Shikamaru added as the group watched him disappear behind a bush in the distance. Once his footsteps had died away, they began speaking again.

"I really hope he's sure about this? All this training on top of schoolwork, homework, and God knows what else? Talk about having no time for a life in between." Ino recounted glumly.

Choji tore open bag of potato chips and began munching. "Speaking of which, what was the name of the school we're attending this semester?" he asked through mouthfuls.

Sakura shrugged with a look of indifference. "No matter where we go it's bound to be just as boring and normal as any other school we've been too in the city. According to the paperwork we filled out last month, it's some dump called Kouryou High."

Meanwhile…

Naruto quietly walked up the steps leading into the small shrine on the edge of the property line. It was a small wooden building located in a small patch of forest that grew within the gates of Konoha Dojo, and the partial namesake of the fighting school that the old masters has established several generations back. Stepping up a pair of wooden doors, the young warrior pushed them open to reveal the meditating form of Kakashi Hatake. He sat on the floor of the small enclosure, his eyes closed as if he were in a trance.

As if sensing the teenager's approach, the gray-haired master opened his eyes. "I just got here a few minutes ago, although perhaps it's better off that you chose to disturb me at the beginning of my meditation rather than in the middle." He commented with a calm note of sarcasm.

Naruto rolled his eyes, although his tone remained polite when he spoke. "Sorry for just barging in, but I just figured you would be the right person to ask."

"Fine, go ahead…" Kakashi replied, looking slightly disappointed that he hadn't taken the hint.

Naruto leaned against the open door. "Have the other masters heard any news about Sasuke recently."

"This is a dojo and we are the teachers." The older man replied tactfully. "When a student chooses not to attend our classes anymore, they are no longer the responsibility of Konoha."

"You know that's a load of crap!" Naruto interjected with a note or irritation. "Sasuke and I were both orphans when we first came here. Neither of us really had any other place to go, and we spent most of our lives in this place"

Kakashi exhaled deeply and stood up so that they were at eye level. "Having been his master, I can understand perfectly well why you would be so concerned for your friend's well being. This is a complicated matter, but the answer you seek is quite simple…"

He paused maddeningly, only picking away at Naruto patience. "Which is?" he pressed on.

"There comes a time when every martial artist must leave on a journey of self-discovery." The masked master began calmly. "Despite being only fourteen when he left two years ago, Sasuke felt that he couldn't learn any more from the masters of Konoha, and so he left on a journey to find new inspiration beyond the walls of this compound."

Naruto's expression dampened. "You always say those things, but there are times when I wonder if there was more to it than that. I mean, what exactly did he hope to learn about martial arts that the greatest masters in the world couldn't already teach him?" the boy felt his fists tighten. "It just doesn't make any sense!"

"The road of life leads in several different directions." Kakashi added with an unshakable calm. "Sometimes it is up to us to seek out that path we wish to take."

"Where the Hell did you get that cheesy line from, a fortune cookie?" the blonde teenager spat.

The master rubbed the back of his head with a drop of sweat dripping. "Maybe, but I think it applies here as well, and it's an piece of advice that works well almost anywhere."

Naruto entirely body twitched, a look of barely suppressed anger flashing across his face. He turned his back on the older man and began stomping away from the shrine, almost damaging the stairs in the process. "I swear, why do I even bother talking to that guy?" he grumbled to himself.

Kakashi watched him go with a frown hidden behind his mask, silently sitting back down and relaxing his shoulders once the distraction was gone. After relaxing his muscles again, the tranquil man began to seriously think about the questions the boy had just asked him, causing him noticeable discomfort. Although Naruto had disappeared into the trees, the master-level fighter simply could not relax anymore.

He exhaled deeply, quietly eyeing the spot where his visitor had been standing only a few minutes ago. "Sorry Naruto… Sometimes the truth is harder to except than you would think." He muttered with a focused, empty glare.

Meanwhile…

Hiruzen Sarutobi ascended the stairs leading into his private study, gently opening the doors with his free hand while leaning on his staff. Upon entering the room, he placed his white cloak on a hook protruding from the wall and continued into the main living area.

The office beyond was a plain-looking room with a row of bookshelves lining the back wall and a plain wooden cabinet for paperwork. He also had a single wooden table and two straight-backed wooden chairs standing near the center of the room. While many people preferred creature comforts, elaborate décor, and modernization in their workspace, the elder favored the simple things in life and his office certainly reflected this part of his personality.

A single window on the left wall acted as the sole source of light in the room, making it seem a little bit dark at all times. Above the bookshelves were four pictures featuring the previous masters of Konoha Dojo from the old days to the present. Staring at the faces of his forbearers on the far wall, he remembered the day that they had declared him the new elder, bringing a smile to his heavily lined visage. Trapped in his own memories, he barely noticed the sound of a visitor entering from behind.

By the sound and weight of the footsteps, he immediately knew who it was. "I had a feeling there was a reason you were eager to dismiss the others so quickly. Am I correct, Anko?" he mused out loud, never once turning to confirm his suspicions.

The woman was not surprised that he had been able to sense her approach. "I apologize for interrupting you like this. Please forgive my intrusion, Master Hiruzen." She inclined her head respectfully towards the old man.

"I've known you since you were a child… There's no need for such formalities." The elder turned to face her with a coarse, yet high-spirited laugh. "I can tell by your demeanor and tone that there is something of the utmost importance that you wish to bring to my attention."

She stood up and reached into her jacket, pulling out a packet of papers. "All of the details are in here, and I think some of this information within may yet be relevant to our students as well."

Sarutobi accepted the stack with his aged hand and skimmed the contents with a critical eye, causing his cheerful expression to vanish. Walking over to the corner, he laid his staff against the wall and took the packet with both hands, this time reading it more slowly. "Hmmm…" he pondered with a thoughtful expression.

"So, do you think we should we tell the kids what's going on?" She proposed grimly.

"I see why you might be concerned, however at the moment there doesn't appear to be any specific reason to worry our disciples over this particular matter."

Anko stammered slightly. "Well… I think it might be a better idea for us to give them at least some of the information. It might prove valuable in preparing them in the worst case scenario."

"Such information would only ruin their peace of mind, which is something that only the young can truly experience. Also, you seem to lack the confidence that these children can handle themselves, when they have proved otherwise several times. Am I not wrong?"

"No sir, but we…" she began through grit teeth.

"Can consider this a partial learning experience, even if there's a chance that something unfortunate does indeed happen." He finished with a knowing expression before turning his back to her once again.

She attempted to raise the issue again, but the old man reached over to the door before placing the cloak on his shoulders, silently retrieving his staff from the corner where he had left it only moments ago. Sarutobi reached into the folds of his red robe before pulling out a small wooden pipe, which he immediately placed between his lips, using his opposite hand to light it with a match from his pocket. He shook out the flame and tossed it over his shoulder, gently stomped on the ember to make certain it was out.

"I'm going out for some air… Please feel free to stay a while if you desire." the old man replied with a polite wave. Gently scooting past her, he exited through the door, leaving behind a slightly confused woman in his wake. Once the entry closed behind him, she knew there was no point in raising the subject again.

Note to Readers: Well here's a crossover between Naruto and History's Strongest Disciple: Kenichi. In this story, the Naruto characters are written to have been born into Kenichi's world, meaning that their fighting styles will focus on the martial arts rather than fancy ninja tricks or chakra. Good news for Rock Lee! I figured this would be interesting after reading similar ideas and imagining what kind of martial arts I could use for inspiration.

I also tried to keep their personalities intact, and a lot of their outfits remain unchanged from the original Naruto versions of the characters. You'll probably begin seeing some characters from the HSDK series next chapter, but in the meantime I hope you enjoyed what I have so far. You guys probably noticed that I added some things into this chapter to foreshadow future plot development and hint at the Naruto characters' roles in Kenichi's world.

The first chapter was a drag due to the large amount of introductions to handle, but I think the next one should be a little easier. Sorry if there's a fair number of typos, or errors in spelling and grammar, but I usually write chapters for stories late at night.

Until next time, please **REVIEW** so that I can get some motivation to write more chapters. Such things can make or break a fanfiction for me, especially towards the beginning of a story I'm writing. If you have any comments, ideas, questions, or you liked something in particular about this work, I would love to hear it!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: School Life**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

It was early in the morning when Konoha's disciples reached the front gates of their new school. Kouryou High was very large complex consisting of small series of structures, with a hallway connecting one building to the next. The institution itself was several stories high and covered with windows and the roof sealed off by a tall metal fence for safety. Like many schools in the surrounding area, the campus was surrounded by a stone gate to stop intruders while class was in session. Overall it appeared quite normal as far as Japanese schools went, although this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Several students were already walking the grounds talking excitedly with friends and classmates, creating a very relaxed, peaceful atmosphere. Being new students and traveling in a group of six, the young martial artists received their share of stares from their future classmates, although this was only natural. They already had a reputation due to an unfortunate mishap, since less than a month ago the entire group had been thrown out of their previous educational facility for getting into a fight with gang members on school grounds. Although they had been defending someone from the thugs at the time, the principal deemed their behavior inappropriate and dismissed them.

The disciples were wearing a variety of different outfits, since the uniform was not mandatory at this particular school. Naruto had stuck with his orange t-shirt and black shorts, while Choji wore a white shirt along with a green jacket with his long hair tired back away from his round face. Being too lazy to bother doing otherwise, Shikamaru had stuck with the standard uniform, which consisted of a dark long sleeved shirt with yellow buttons, and matching pants. Although Lee had wanted to wear his green jumpsuit, the others had convinced him to wear the uniform too.

Sakura had picked a modest outfit with a long sleeved, red, button-up shirt, a standard white shirt underneath, and a pink skirt that reached just above her knees. She also wore blue headband to hold her hair in place, knee-high stockings, and a pair of stylish shoes that matched the color of her top. In sticking with her typical style, Ino had chosen a purple sleeveless tank top, arm warmers, and a matching skirt somewhat shorter than her friend's. As usual her long blonde hair was tied in a ponytail that ran down her back.

Naruto stopped before stretching his arms out. "So, what do you guys think of this place so far? Doesn't look like anything special to me."

"Well, what did you expect? Unless you happened to forget, we're here for academics." Sakura replied with a note of impertinence.

Ino giggled to herself. "Yeah, I'm not all that surprised, seeing how he was already pretty bad when it came time to using his brain for anything but winning a fight."

Choji took a bite of a granola bar he had brought with him before casually tossing the wrapper aside. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a paper, which he carefully unfolded and read quickly. "Hey guys, what kind of classes did you sign up for this semester?"

"Let's see…" Naruto read his schedule with intense focus, forcing several people to move aside since he wasn't paying attention to where he was going. "According to this, I got a math course, standard Japanese, English 01, and a gym class today. Doesn't sound like too much fun for me."

Shikamaru sighed. "Looks like I've got a Trigonometry class in the morning. It really sucks to start the day off with math when I honestly couldn't care less. Not to mention two AP language courses and a high level physics class to end the day. Talk about a pain in the ass…"

"Doesn't sound like something you would sign up for." The blonde girl glanced back at him.

The lazy genius gently smacked his head before letting out a groan. "You're telling me. Master Kurenai encouraged me to sign up for some high level courses this semester after Asuma forced that IQ test on me awhile back. Ever since then, they've been riding me to challenge myself."

Sakura shook her head disapprovingly like a disappointed parent. "If you had just a little more motivation, you might have become a master by now."

"We don't know that for sure, and I'm just fine with where I am right now." He shrugged off her advice with an un-amused expression. "I do what I need to meet the demands of my teachers, and take things one step at a time. That's just the way my dad taught me to do things."

"Yeah, because your dad's just as lazy unmotivated as you are. I swear it must run in the family." Ino sniped back at him.

Her teammate smiled modestly. "My old man gets things done when mom gets involved. That troublesome old crone's always yelling, and it makes me glad that I decided to study martial arts abroad instead of learning from my dad… I sometimes wonder why they even get married."

Choji shoved the second half of the bar in his mouth. "Why don't you ask him?" he questioned with his mouth full.

"I have a few times, and he usually gives me really stupid answers or just finds and excuse to do something else. There's some things in this world that even I can't wrap my mind around."

Naruto placed both hands behind his head and leaned back slightly as they continued. "C'mon Shikamaru! If you put your brain to good use, you might have been tougher than Sasuke."

The mention of their missing friend caused the group to fall silent, and the blonde teen felt his spirits drop almost instantly. While the boy had always distanced himself from the others during their days of training together, he had been well admired by the others for his skills and strength. The masters considered him to be the most skilled disciple and the one with the most potential. When he left, Sasuke had not only abandoned his friends, but also the masters' hopes that he would one day become the dojo's leader.

In a way, the missing disciple had also tossed aside the bonds he had established with the others, all of whom saw him as a role model, friend, or rival. Both girls had harbored feelings for him as well, something that had put a damper on their friendship for a while. That fateful day he left Konoha, Sasuke openly renounced everything about the martial arts he had learned while living there claiming them all to be weak and lacking in conviction. Most hurt by this was Naruto, who not only lost his best friend, but also his greatest rival.

Choji realized the sudden change in atmosphere and quickly decided to change the topic. "So, uh… What kind of classes do the rest of you guys have this term?"

Lee read his own paper with a cheerful expression. "Since I am a year ahead of you guys, I don't think we'll be attending any of the same classes together. Looks like I have a physical education class second period, and several basic academics suitable for a second year student."

"Let's see!" Ino quickly seized hold of the renewed subject. "I took some simple studies and an optional home economics course." She turned to the girl walking beside her. "So did you sign up for anything fun this year, or did you decide to take the same route as Shikamaru?"

"I took some basic courses this year to get a feel for the school." She glanced at the papers that the others were holding. "It looks like all of us except for Lee have gym class together, so we'll at least get to see each other once a day aside from lunch period."

The bushy-browed fighter frowned as a few overly dramatized tears began leaking from his eyes. "Even if we're apart, I'll think of you guys every minute!" he beat his chest with his right hand.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow lazily. "You know what? If that's the case maybe we'd be happier if you didn't." Shikamaru risked a half-smile as they shared a small laugh at Lee's expense. He wasn't the kind of guy to make a joke often, but his relaxed sarcasm sometimes did the job.

The group continued walking the school grounds for a few more minutes, quietly admiring the trees and scenery. Kouryou High's campus was remarkably well kept due to the large number of students attending on a daily basis. Most of the disciples immediately noticed the school's large gymnasium, although the two girls found themselves staring towards the plant nursery off the side. They had always been a taught an appreciation for the botanical arts while at the dojo, and Ino had actually grown up around flowers her entire life.

"That's a pretty nice looking greenhouse." Sakura commented with a calm smile.

Ino spared another glance as they passed by, her eyes lighting up excitedly. "Since my family owns a flower shop, I can tell from here that whoever tends to those plants really knows what they're doing. Almost makes me want to take a closer look."

"I don't see why you can't just join the gardening club?" The brown-haired genius proposed unexcitedly. "Looking at the size of this place, I'm willing to be there's a crap-load of extracurricular activities available."

"I'm in no hurry to get involved in any of these clubs. And besides, we just got here today. I'm willing to bet that all of the good activities are already taken by now!" She replied.

"Actually, that shouldn't be a problem!" Choji read a note at the bottom of his schedule before pointing it out to the others. "According to this, all transfer applicants are free to join any club available to the student body. This is provided we get permission from the proper authorities."

Naruto squinted his eyes and frowned sheepishly. "What on Earth is that supposed to mean?"

Shikamaru shook his head and sighed again. "It means we need someone whoever's in charge of the club to approve our membership. Otherwise we're not allowed to join."

Their overweight friend flipped through his packet. "Apparently we need the approval of either a staff advisor or team captain in order to join the club. Students in this school are actually allowed to operate extracurricular activities without the constant supervision of teachers, so in this case we would probably need to speak to the president of a club in order to gain admission."

"Ooh, let me see!" Lee seized hold of forms, his eyes growing wide. "Looks like they've got a Karate club that meets after school in the weight room. I already know where I'm going once class is out!"

While the others crowded around Choji to get a closer look at the list of activities, Shikamaru and Naruto remained uninterested. The two of them continued as far as the front door of the school, leaving their friends behind until several minutes when they finished browsing through the list. The remaining four disciples settled back down and headed towards their friends, although before the group could discuss the topic further, a series of bell-like tones issued from the school's PA system.

Shikamaru glanced back and forth at people started entering the building. "Well, looks like it's time to get to class… Advanced mathematics, here I come." he mumbled grumpily before being swallowed up by the crowd entering the school.

"My classes are different than yours, so I guess I'll be heading off." Lee flashed them a thumbs up before stepping through the doors and disappearing. The other's watched him go without comment before turning towards each other.

"Since lazy boy landed himself in AP classes, and Lee's a year ahead of us, I guess we won't be seeing them too often." Ino held out her schedule to the others. "So, what homeroom do you guys have this semester? Maybe we'll get lucky!"

The four glanced at each other's schedules quickly, causing Naruto to smirk. "Hey Sakura! It looks like we got the same homeroom class number this year! We both made it into Class A."

"Looks like it…" she ran a hand through her light pink hair, looking slightly disappointed as she turned to her best friend. "What about you, Ino?"

"The two of us are in Class B." Ino replied with a frown at not getting to be with her best friend. She gently nudged her rotund teammate with a friendly smile before turning back to the others. "I guess that means food-boy and I should get going!" She spun around on her heel and winked before jogging off at a brisk pace. "See you guys later!"

"Hold on! Wait for me, Ino!" Choji called after her, his noticeably large frame pushing aside several students as he barreled along after her.

This left the remaining two disciples alone. "Well, looks like we should also get to class. Since we have the same teacher first period, what do you say we go together?"

The pink-haired girl smiled politely. "Why not? Let's just get going so we don't end up late. I really don't intend to leave a bad impression with the teacher on the first day."

Naruto glanced at his cell phone, his eyes widening as he saw what time it was. "Our first class is on the third floor, so we should really hurry up!" No sooner had he said this that his friend ran past, causing him to stumble after her in a clumsy manner. "Sheesh, you don't waste any time!"

Upon reaching the top of the second flight of stairs, the pair continued at a quick pace through several hallways of the school, both of them glancing back and forth at the numbers and names above each door indicating he room. Along the way they passed a chemistry lab, the biology lab, and a handful of classrooms. After cutting through another crowd of students, they found the desired number and quickly entered the classroom through the door positioned at the back. Their new classroom was large with two doors, a blackboard and teacher's desk positioned towards the front, and several rows of desks neatly filling the classroom.

Naruto walked into the room with a carefree expression, Sakura looked less at ease since neither of them was sure where to sit, and she always hated the idea of making a scene in front of large crowds. Having received negative focus at a young age for her naturally pink hair and prominent forehead, she didn't typically crave large amounts of attention from other people, especially those she didn't particularly know. Her partner, on the other hand, was always keen to stand out of the crowd and introduce himself.

Several students were already present, some sitting at their desks while other stood in small group talking with friends. Since the teacher had yet to show up, and session hadn't started, the class atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. They began forward looking for a place to sit only to be greeted a friendly face. The boy had shaggy brown hair and matching eyes, his bangs parting near the center of his forehead and hanging down the sides with some loose strands in the front. He wasn't particular tall, had a lean physique, and was dressed in the school uniform.

He extended a hand to them with a welcoming expression. "I haven't seen you guys around here before. You must be the new transfer students we heard about yesterday."

Naruto brushed off the comment, but remained pleasant nonetheless. "A few of my friends and I were transferred to this school after an incident at our last place."

"Sorry, but exactly what kind of incident was this?" The other boy sweat-dropped. Having grown wary of people due to some of the recent events in his life, he subconsciously took a step away.

The gesture did not go unnoticed by Sakura, who quickly slapped her friend in the back of his head. "Ouch, what was that for?" the blonde-haired teenager snapped irritably.

"You idiot, that's not how you go around greeting people!" she burst out, causing both boys to cringe slightly. Upon realizing that several students were staring, she turned back to their greeter with an embarrassed, yet apologetic expression. "I'm really sorry about that… Don't worry, we got thrown out because of a misunderstanding."

Naruto grinned widely in an attempt to reassure him. "Yeah, it's not like we… Ouch!"

The girl slammed her heel into the toe of his foot, instantly silencing him. She forced a smile to ward off suspicious looks. "Don't pay any attention to this guy. He likes talking tough, but at the end of the day he's just the world's biggest idiot!"

"Looks like you guys have some things to sort out. Until then, maybe we should start over?" the brown-haired boy added with an awkward expression before extending his hand again. "I'm Kenichi Shirahama, a first year student and member of Kouryou High's gardening club."

"Pleased to meet you! I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and one day I'm gonna be the world's strongest martial artist!" he boasted loudly while accepting the handshake.

His companion resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her friend's typical bravado before bowing her head respectfully. "My name is Sakura Haruno, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Before the conversation could continue, a fourth person came running over to where they were standing. The girl coming along towards them had long blonde hair tied back into an elegant braid, bright blue eyes, extremely developed curves and a small beauty mark under her left eye. Her short bangs were separated into small strands in the front with a particularly large curl-like strand hanging off to the side of her face. She wore glasses and a pair of hairclips along with a simple outfit, consisting of a short pink skirt and long-sleeved blue top.

"Hey Kenichi, who are your new friends?" She stopped next to him with a cheerful smile.

"Oh, hey Miu…" he returned her expression before gesturing towards the others in turn. "This is Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno. They're two of the new transfer students our teacher mentioned earlier this week!"

The blonde girl bounced happily, causing rather large breasts to jiggle up and down. "My name's Miu Furinji, and I am a member of the school gymnastics club. Please to meet you!"

"I'll say…" Naruto began with a small blush, his wide-eyed gaze falling on her assets.

Sakura found herself instinctively glancing at her own breasts in comparison, feeling slightly depressed that someone her age was so far ahead of her in that department. It made her think of her master's well-endowed chest, but her attention faltered as she noticed her friend's eyes were moving down. She nudged the blonde-haired knucklehead as discreetly as possible in an attempt to stop his rude behavior, causing him to snap back to reality.

"Sorry if I'm being rude, but I overheard you guys talking about martial arts?" Miu said.

"Yeah, I'm a big time contender back at our dojo." He pointed to himself enthusiastically and grinned. "Believe it or not, I made a promise to myself years ago that one day I would become the best of the best. You're looking at the man who's gonna be the world's greatest fighter!"

"Sounds like you've got some pretty big plans." Kenichi rubbed the back of his head with a slightly bashful expression. "I practice some martial arts myself. Even though my masters say I don't have any talent, that doesn't stop me from working hard everyday to become stronger."

Miu nodded happily. "Give yourself some credit… While you may not have the aptitude, you've got more than enough work ethic. You make up in guts what you lack in strength."

Sakura gave the duo a warm smile. "Well it sounds like your friend knows exactly what it means to be a fighter, even if this idiot lets it all go to his head." She gave her partner a playful shove before turning back to the others. "It was really nice meeting you guys."

"Likewise." He brown-haired boy replied cheerfully, his expression wavering slightly as he remembered something else. "Didn't Naruto say "our" dojo? Does that mean you're also a martial artist."

"I don't let it completely rule my life like him, but you're absolutely right!" She explained calmly. "We both live and train at the Konoha Dojo across town. It's really more of a full-time martial arts school, considering that all of the disciples live together in a separate building away from the main complex."

"What a coincidence, Kenichi lives at my grandfather's dojo full-time too!" Miu chimed in.

Sakura eyed them both with interest. "Does that mean you know some martial arts too? What's the name of your family's place, anyway?"

The large breasted teen smirked, the light subtly reflecting off the surface of her glasses. "I dabble… It's only natural since my grandfather is the elder of Ryozanpaku."

"Hmmm… The name of that place does sound kinda familiar…" Naruto scratched his head.

"You knucklehead! Master Hiruzen once mentioned it during his lecture on Japan's most powerful martial artists." His companion chastised him with an irritated look, her gaze softening as she glanced back at the others. "Sounds like you must have some real martial arts training."

"Miu's been training her entire life, but I've been hanging around the dojo for less than a year. You might say that I'm Ryozanpaku's Number 1 disciple, although at the moment I'm also their only disciple." Kenichi looked slightly embarrassed at this last part.

"I was just recently declared the best at my dojo, although I had some pretty good competition."

"Yeah, and some of us still don't think you deserved it." Sakura added in pessimistically.

Naruto ignored her comment and appeared to take more interest in their new acquaintance. "You don't look like much of a fighter. Although it seems like you've got some kind of muscle despite being built like a stick." He eyed the other man pensively before shrugging it off. "Even so, I wouldn't mind getting a chance to take you on sometime. What do you say the two of us head outside and throw down after school?"

Kenichi held up a hand and shook his head firmly. "Sorry, I don't have any interest in fighting you or anyone else unless there's a good reason to. That's just the way I am…"

"Whoa, calm down a second! I was just suggesting we spar, sometime. No one said anything about drawing blood or fighting a duel to the death." Naruto explained quickly.

"I think I'll pass…" the other man replied politely, groaning as his left hand began rubbing a spot on his back. "It's not that I don't want to honor your request; it's just that I still have some major bruises and muscle cramps from this week's training session. Maybe some other time when I'm not falling apart at the seems."

The blonde boy gave him a reassuring smile as he nursed a similar pain in his right leg. "Guess I know where you're coming from… No problem! Just holler if you ever wanna test you meddle against a real fighter!"

"I'll have to keep that in mind." Kenichi answered awkwardly, still unsure what to think of the irascible new transfer students.

Ryozanpaku's disciple was surprised by Naruto's incredibly bold and outspoken personality, which was a stark comparison to his rather ordinary appearance. He was used to meeting fighters who were confident in their own abilities, but this boy's attitude seemed confident rather than arrogant in comparison to most of the people he had seen. Sakura seemed nice enough to begin with, although he also sensed a powerful temper hidden behind her innocent exterior and bright pink hair. If one thing was clear to Kenichi, it was that the new students were both strong-hearted and genuine.

A few moments later, a man wearing a suit entered the room through the front door, causing the students to quiet down and return to their seats. He was clearly middle-aged, with wrinkles above his brow and around his mouth, and thick, dark eyebrows. He was completely bald, with a square jaw line and a thin build. A pair of square-rimmed glasses hung over his eyes, and he carried himself with a sense of professionalism. Stepping up to the head of the class, the teacher signaled out the two students standing towards the rear of the room.

"Before we begin, I would like to introduce two new students to the class today." They walked to the front of the room to stand beside him, both feeling extremely self-conscious as all eyes settled on them. He began with a serious expression, gently tapping his knuckles against the desk to get their attention before introducing himself. "I am Fukujiro Yasunaga, and I will be both your homeroom teacher, and history instructor. Before we begin, would you care to introduce yourselves to the class?"

The blonde-haired fighter waved casually at the group and smiled widely. "The name's Naruto Uzumaki! I hope we'll all become really good friends!"

"Sakura Haruno… It's a pleasure to meet you all." She replied with a small bow of her head.

"Very good, not that everything's settled, you may both take your seats." The teacher replied, gently gesturing to a pair of empty desks in the middle row.

As they walked by, a pair of students watched them carefully from the back of the room. The first was boy with light chin-length blonde hair and dark purplish blue eyes. Known for his good lucks and exceptional grades, Natsu Tanimoto was also the president of the drama club and a top honor student. One of the little know facts about the prince-like boy was that he was once one of the Eight Deadly Fists of Ragnarok back when the gang terrorized the city, and also one of the best martial artists around. He had listened in on Kenichi's conversation with mild interest.

In the opposite corner of the room sat a boy who had transferred to the school several months back, although he remained noticeably distant from other people. Haku Yuki had long raven black hair tied into a ponytail, and an androgynous visage that most men and woman would consider attractive. This was one of the primary reasons that he wore the boy's school uniform, having been mistaken as a woman on his first day several months back. For some reason he also seemed somewhat intrigued by the new students as well.

Several hours later…

Students poured into the hallway as the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day after seven hours of class. At this time, most of the students would head home while the remainder of them would head to their extracurricular activities and clubs. While Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji had decided to head back to the dojo, leaving behind Lee and the two girls. While Sakura and Ino wanted to add some credentials to their future college applications, the group's resident karate practitioner had decided to give the school karate club a try.

Rock Lee walked through the hallway with a cheerful expression, having exchanged his school uniform for his green jumpsuit and red sash. Although the others had warned him not to wear it in public, the young man had kept it in his backpack all day in the hopes of changing as soon as class was over. He felt a certain attachment to the garment, since it was the first gift his master had ever given to him when they first began training together.

Rounding a corner, he entered an empty hallway leading into the athletics department, coming to a stop outside an old-fashioned wooden sliding door. "This looks like the right place…" He glanced up at the sign above the door. "Yup, definitely the karate club!"

He pushed the door aside to reveal another room beyond with simple walls and several exercise mats littering the floor. There were a few punching bags dangling on the far side of the room, although the thing that caught his attention immediately was the karate ring where several of the club's members were already sparring. Each of the men present was garbed in a white robe with matching pants and a loose-fitting sash. Once the sparring session ended, the fighters began talking excitedly amongst each other, giving Lee the opportunity to approach them.

"Excuse me, can someone help me?" the bushy-browed fighter tapped a particularly large member on the shoulder.

"Ergh, who's that poking me?" the other man mumbled as he turned around. Being taller than the green-clad fighter, he had to look down to meet his eyes. The thuggish man choked back a laugh when he saw the jumpsuit before acknowledging him. "Hey guys, we got a visitor!" he screamed causing the others to divert their attention to their guest.

A smaller man roughly Lee's height stepped out from behind his fellow teammate. "What the Hell do you want with the karate club?"

"I was hoping to join you guys, if you've got some room for one more!" he replied with a respectful bow. "It would be a great honor!"

To his surprise the entire group broke out into a chorus of obnoxious laughter, although the action did little to deter him. Lee raised an eyebrow in confusion before joining in with them, seeing very little other option considering that he didn't understand what was so funny to begin with. This continued for twenty seconds, before the rude gesture finally ceased, several of the club members crowding around him with vindictive expressions.

"Hey freaky-brows, what are you laughing about?" one of the men asked.

He stopped laughing before resuming his confused stance. "To be honest, I was also wondering what was so funny to begin with?"

"That getup!" another member screamed while pointing at his unusual outfit. "What's with the green jumpsuit, you going to clown school of something?"

Lee's looked suddenly angry. "I'll have you know that my master and I do all of our training in this clothing! It doesn't matter what kind of style one chooses to wear, so long as they know how to fight. Not to mention Guy-sensei is about a hundred times the fighter any of you people could ever be!"

Another man sneered. "Your master must be the biggest, ugliest joke there ever was if wears that crap! You've got a big mouth, greenie! Just scram or we'll be forced to make you!"

The green-clad man felt his blood boil in that instant. "Did you just… make fun of my master?"

"So what if I did? What are you gonna do about it?" the other man squared up to fight him.

Before anyone could lash out, the largest of their number stepped from the group, his height and build dwarfing their visitor in every way. He was a large thuggish man with beady narrowed eyes, short dusty brown hair, a thick square-set jaw, and large neck. He had a honed muscle-bound physique with large pectoral muscles and bulging biceps, and like the others he wore the standard white robes of the karate club. Several of the other men scrambled away as their self-proclaimed leader stomped through, his harsh gaze settling on the bickering students.

"You're wasting your time on this loser! Allow me to help!" he picked up the man who was arguing with Lee and tossed him headfirst at their visitor.

The green-clad fighter sidestepped with minimal effort, but instead of retaliating he ran over to help the injured man. Reaching down, Lee pulled him into a standing position and frog-marched him across the room, laying the boy's body down on a nearby bench. The other's watched in surprise as their unwanted guest felt for a pulse, apparently confused by his actions. After double-checking, he faced the remaining fighters, his gaze hardening with outrage.

"To think that you would harm one of your own teammates just to take a cheap shot at me." Lee scolded with a look of disgust. "I expected more from practitioners of an ancient art like karate!"

"Why are you so upset? He was your enemy just five seconds ago!" his enemy retorted. "The martial arts made for the strong, like us. If I'm stronger than someone, then that means I've earned the right to do whatever I want and they can't stop me!"

Lee struck a fighting stance, causing several people to step away warily. "I was intending on leaving after seeing this display, but after insulting Master Guy and sacrificing one of your teammates like savages, I see no reason to hold back."

The large man let out a loud howling laugh. "As if we'd let someone who looks as ridiculous as you join our club. Beat it before we beat you to a bloody pulp!"

"You misunderstand…" the green-clad fighter replied with an excitable smirk. "I don't intend to join you! Instead I hereby place down a challenge to the fighters of this club… that is; if any of you cowards are brave enough to except it!"

The group howled with laughter, but it was their muscle-bound leader who spoke up first. "As the captain of Kouryou High Karate Club, I'll take you own all by myself!" he glanced over his shoulder at his henchmen. "Get the arena ready so we can get this over with quickly!"

In a matter of seconds, the club members retrieved a bucket of water and picked a referee for the match, the chosen official taking his place on the sidelines while the remaining men took their seats on the surrounding benches and floor. They moved aside as the two combatants stepped into the boundaries of the square, neither backing down as they stared into each other's eyes.

"Guy-sensei always told to give my name to an opponent out of respect. My name is Rock Lee, Konoha Dojo's handsome devil!"

"Daimonji… Not like it matters to a dead man, anyway." The larger man replied with a smirk.

"If both fighters are read… Begin!" the referee shouted, waving his hand in a downward chop.

The towering man pulled back his fist and aimed a punch at his opponent, only to lose site of him immediately. Turning to his left, he aimed a high kick only for his enemy to disappear from view again. He swung again, but this time Lee seized him by the wrist and pulling the larger fighter into a joint lock before sending him face-first towards the floor. The room shook slightly as his full weight smashed into the ground, causing the other karate club members to panic. Since their former captain, Saijou Tsukuba had left town, Daimonji was their strongest fighter, making the humiliation much worse.

"Get up Daimonji! Don't let this bushy-browed freak get the best of you!" one of them shouted.

The thuggish fighter rose again, ripping open his shirt to reveal his gigantic pectoral muscles. "Raargh… You puny little piece of shit!" I'll break you in half!" He brought his first down with a bestial roar, his rage causing him to look much larger than before.

"You still don't get it, do you?" Lee shook his head with a look of disappointment. Springing into the air, he landed a swift kick to his opponent's chest, causing him to crash backwards onto the ground. "I could have defeated you in one blow had I truly wanted to, but I was merciful…"

Lying on his back on the floor, the karate club boss knew he couldn't win this time. His thoughts returned to a previous bout he had against a small boy named Kenichi Shirahama, during which his enemy had repeatedly dodged his punches without even dealing a single blow, and then humiliated him further with a throwing move. It annoyed him to no end that he had been defeated by such a small fry opponent, but this time it felt much more hopeless since his adversary had placed absolutely no effort into taking him down while taking no hits in return.

"I'm not done with you yet, kid." Daimonji struggled to his feet, pausing with an evil smirk before signaling to the others. "Beat him down!"

The mob of fighters stood up from their places and surrounded him from all sides. Rather than look concerned, Lee exhaled disappointedly. "You are all a disgrace to the noble art of karate!"

They closed in around him and began their charge, only to be repelled by a spinning kick that Guy had taught him. It was a move out of his master's personal repertoire used for taking down large numbers of weaker enemies, although he disliked using it on such poor excuses for martial artists. Daimonji charged in personally, but this time his opponent saw no reason to hold back and responded with quick punch to the face, knocking him out cold. Seeing an entire row of their best fighters defeated alongside their leader, the remaining club members scattered away like mice, running through doors and jumping out windows to escape the green-clad man.

Once he was alone, Lee sat on the nearest bench and signed at having seen such a brutish display from fellow karate users. "It saddens me to see this…" he muttered, with exaggerated tears streaming from his eyes. "Oh Guy-sensei, what would you have said to these people?"

As soon as he stood up to leave, the sound of clapping filled his ears. The green-clad fighter looked up in surprise as the door to the room opened again, revealing an unfamiliar face. The newcomer was a teenager roughly Lee's height with tall spiky hair and dark features. He was wearing what appeared to be a face guard used for high impact sports, along with a tan t-shirt wrist guards, snake patterned shorts, and a patching scarf.

"Impressive how you beat that trash without even trying. I was actually impressed." The visitor commented with an unsavory smirk.

Lee immediately noted the boy's aura and felt uneasy. "I do not care much to know who you are, nor am I particularly interested in whatever reason you came here. Just tell me who you are, and explain why your friends saw it fit to hide from my sight?"

"Very good… You've got some pretty good instincts." The newcomer replied looking genuinely interested now.

He signaled for the others to come out, prompting two more people to appear behind him. The first was a hunched man garbed in a gray robe with overly long sleeves. The most distinctive thing about his appearance was the series of bandages covering his entire face except for a small spot where his left eye was visible. The third member of the group was a girl with pale skin, black hair, and pitiless cold eyes. She was dressed in a sleeveless top, wearing a pair of tight gray shorts, and a pair of thick black boots.

The spiky haired boy standing in front smirked. "I'm Zaku Abumi, these are my friends: Dosu Kinuta and Kin Tsuchi."

Dosu frowned, although his expression was hidden by the bandages. "There's no need to look so concerned… The three of us are students at the school just like you."

"Pardon me for trusting my instincts, but something tells me you didn't just come here to make conversation." Lee retorted with a clever smile, his body automatically moving into a karate pose. "Perhaps you would be nice enough to tell me why you are here, or why my quarrel with those thugs has anything to do with you?"

Kin stepped forward in an attempt to control the situation. "My buddies and I just heard the commotion and came by to see what was going on. Despite how weak they were, it's pretty cool how you took out the entire karate club so quickly. You've earned our respect…"

The green-clad fighter took a step towards them. "I do not find your words to be particularly flattering… It is obvious that you came here looking for something… State your business!"

"Why don't you just relax and hear us out, then?" Zaku waved his hands as if to sweep aside the hostile atmosphere, composing his face into what was probably meant to be a kinder expression. "It wasn't a joke when we told you how impressed we were with your martial arts expertise. We just came to extend to you an offer."

"An offer, you say?" Lee raised an eyebrow, his guard dropping a little bit. "Exactly what kind of offer are you talking about?"

The female of the opposing group took a step towards him. "We represent a group of elite fighters that plans on cementing its reputation as the strongest in the world. To this end, our leader has ordered his followers to recruit the most powerful fighters so that we may join together and crush the weak underfoot."

Dosu nodded to concur her statement. "There are martial artists all over the world who believe that the ancient styles of fighting should be used to protect the weak. We believe that the strong should dominate those who stand below them by removing any who would stand in our way."

"I see… So you three represent a gang of thugs?" the bushy-browed boy deduced with a frown.

"The word _thug_ has such a negative connotation." The bandaged man answered calmly. "We prefer to think of ourselves as a group of skilled individuals bent on exploiting that talent for personal gain. In a way, it's really no different from a wealthy man who uses his money to start a business, or a genius who furthers the development of society with his intelligence."

Zaku ignored his teammate's comment, instead directing his attention towards the subject of their scrutiny. "So, Lee was it?" he began with an amused expression. "The time has come to make your decision… Will you join our cause? Will you join Team Hebi?"

The karate disciple resumed his stance and smiled. "Those who would use their training to dominate the weak do not deserve to call themselves true martial artists. My answer is no!"

"That's too bad, because you're coming with us whether you want to or not." Zaku replied, his body shifting into a fighting pose as well. His teammates followed his example, the other two moving in on their target from the sides. "Once last chance to change you mind…"

"Bring it on!" he screamed, causing his enemies to charge him in a three-sided formation.

Lee replicated his moves from his fight with the karate club in an attempt to take all of them out at once, but this time the attack wasn't as successful. His opponents blocked the impact with their arms, and although the kick repelled their attack, all three remained completely unharmed by his strike. They recovered quickly and shifted their positions, returning to their previous formation in preparation of their next strike. Seeing their disciplined fighting style surprised Lee quite a bit, considering that he hadn't expected such moves from common high school rabble.

The bushy browed fighter glanced around at the opposing fighters, looking much more aware of his surroundings than before. "I have to admit, you seem to be much stronger than those brutes that attacked me earlier."

"Do not confuse us with common thugs." Dosu added, gesturing calmly at the unconscious forms of the karate club members. "Treat us the same as them, and your death will be swift…"

"We'll see about that!" Lee replied challengingly, his eyes blazing with excitement.

Meanwhile…

Kenichi Shirahama turned off the hose as he finished watering the plants in the greenhouse, a small sigh escaping his mouth as he took a moment to relax. There were only two members of the gardening club including him, but he didn't particular mind the quiet atmosphere and often saw it as a break from his brutal training back at Ryozanpaku. Wiping a few beads of sweat from his forehead, the boy took a moment to admire the scenery, gently letting out a breath as all of his stress from the day slowly drained away.

The other member of the club was a girl named Izumi, with long black hair typically tied into two braids, brown eyes, and glasses. She was of average height with a petite frame and pale skin, garbed in a white uniform with dark lining and a matching skirt. On a normal day her expression was usually calm and innocent, but today she seemed a little off. Fingering a pair of movie tickets behind her back, she mustered up all of her courage and decided to make an attempt to ask him out.

"Hey Kenichi!" she began, her cheeks turning a pale red color as she spoke.

The brown-haired boy looked up from his newest plant. "Is there something up, Izumi?"

"Well, you know that movie that came out last week that everyone's been talking about lately?"

Kenichi let out a nervous chuckle, looking slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, I know it sounds weird, but I've been so busy with my martial arts training at the dojo that I haven't had much time to check into those kinds of things."

She swallowed her nerves and continued. "Well, I don't have anyone else to go with this Saturday, and was just wondering if you would be willing to…" Before she could finish the question, Ino Yamanaka stepped cam from behind them, causing the gardening club's president to jump in surprise. "Eek!"

The visitor wore an apologetic look. "I hope I'm not disturbing you guys, but I just transferred here today, and I was interested in joining the gardening club."

Izumi fell to her knees and pocketed the tickets she had just dropped, having lost her nerve due to the sudden intrusion. She dusted off her skirt and popped back onto her feet, trying her best to smile. "R-Really, were all the other clubs full?" she stammered slightly.

"Nope, I just really enjoy the botanical arts." Ino replied with a genuine smile, her expression falling moments later. "Why are you guys so surprised that someone would want to join this club anyway? Are you two the only members or something?"

"Yeah, it's not really a popular club around here." Kenichi answered with the tiniest of nods.

Ino carefully observed the surrounding plants, her eyes moving over a pair of orchids while noting the large variety of common and exotic flowers growing around the greenhouse. "So you're pretty much alone, huh? I have to say I'm pretty impressed that two people could do such a great job tending to the needs of these plants. It looks like you guys really know what you're doing here!"

"Thanks a lot!" Izumi piped up happily, finding the new girl's attitude to be refreshing.

"You must know quite a bit about plants if you can tell just by glancing around." Kenichi added with a nervous note. "Unless of course you're just lying to make us feel better…"

The blonde visitor shook her head and smiled. "Nope, I actually grew up around flowers my entire life, seeing how my family owns a fancy flower shop a few towns away from here. I can tell just be looking around that a lot of love went into cultivating these flower beds."

"It's fun for us, but there's always room for one more." The brown-haired teenager nodded to his friend. "What do you think Izumi?"

"I think it's a wonderful idea! There's always room for one more, especially in this club!"

"All right then, I guess that's settled… If you still want to join the gardening club after that, you're more than welcome!" Kenichi nodded his approval.

The newcomer suddenly looked cheerful. "All right, that was pretty easy. Let's start with introductions then. I'm Ino Yamanaka, plain and simple!"

"I'm Izumi, and likewise…" the dark-haired girl bowed, causing her glasses to slip.

"Kenichi Shirahama, it's a real pleasure to meet you." He shook her hand politely.

In shrugged with a smile. "So now that we're all club members, what do you need me to do?"

Izumi giggled. "There's some seeds in the back along with some pots, an extra set of tools, soil, mulch, and fertilizer. If you want to plant your own flower bed or start an entirely new section, there's a small plot and some shelves in the corner that we haven't been using lately."

"You could also help us with our projects if you want. We could always use an extra pair of hands." The club's male member added.

The blonde-haired martial artist listened intently as she walked between the rows of plants, her eyes moving around the room carefully in search of something to do. She planned on working on her own plants when she became more comfortable with the club, but for now she decided to do a little reorganizing. Seeing some things she could improve upon, Ino picked up a large potted plant and placed it on the floor of the greenhouse, carefully rearranging a row of pots and placing them on the higher shelves closer to the windows.

Kenichi looked up from his flowerbed and watched her for a minute before speaking up. "Hey Ino, what are you doing over there?"

"Just straightening some things out." She replied in a matter-of-fact kind of way.

"Why, we just finished positioning those plants this afternoon?" Izumi added confoundedly.

Ino's expression remained perfectly calm. "I noticed that some of the plants you placed on the ground require more sunlight, so I moved them so they all get what they need. The pots that I placed on lower shelves require less sunlight to flourish, so they don't need to be situated so close to the source of light."

"That makes sense…" the other girl straightened her glasses she recognized the plants in question, realizing that their club's newest member was absolutely right. "It's nice to have someone else around here to help out."

"Glad you were willing to give me a chance." the blonde replied happily.

Kenichi opened his mouth to say something else, but the sound of a loud crash came from behind them. The trio of gardeners spun around just in time to catch sight of a green-clothed body smashing through one of the school's windows and hitting the ground. Ino's mouth slid open as she watched the spectacle, having immediately recognized the jumpsuit and haircut even from a distance. She reacted accordingly and dashed from the greenhouse to aid her friend, leaving behind two panicked students.

Izumi let out a gasp. "What's going on out there? Should we contact a hospital?"

Her fellow club member ran for the door, intent on taking a closer look for himself. "I'm going to take a closer look at what's going on."

Meanwhile…

The trio of fighters leapt from the window and surrounded Lee, each of them taking turns kicking at him as he rolled back and forth to avoid being struck. After being pushed through a window, he could feel some glass splinters sticking in his side, although he had been trained to ignore such trivial pain during real fights. Even so, he hadn't expected his enemies to be quite so strong when they first began the battle. Not only did they use dubious tactics, but one of them was armed.

The boy righted himself and sent the spiky-haired Zaku flying into a wall with a powerful kick to the face, only to be struck in the shoulder by a knife thrown by his female attacker. He buckled slightly due to the new injury, his stamina having gone down considerably due to the fact that he was vastly outnumbered. Lee probably could have taken any one of his attackers down easily had it been one-on-one, but the three were obviously trained to coordinate their attacks, putting him at a severe disadvantage.

"Damn it!" he hissed, pulling the blade from his shoulder and tossing it aside.

"Not so easy, is it?" Dosu flailed his arms around before thrusting his fist forward, sending his opponent tumbling with a well-placed kick.

Lee recovered quickly and spun around to face Kin as she threw another knife at him, this time swatting it out of the air with a movement of his wrist. Over the past minute or so he had come to realize that each of the enemy fighters specialized in different style, karate, kenpo, and weapons respectively, and each used gimmicks to improve the usefulness of their attacks. For Dosu, it was his overly long sleeves that made it difficult to predict his movements, while the other two were not above striking from behind or aiming for vital organs.

The bandaged man swung his arms again and struck twice in fast succession, but Lee saw through the feint and leaped backwards, only to be struck in the neck by an attack from the recovered Zaku. He stumped forward, barely moving in time to avoid a blade between the eyes from the group's weapon user. The green-clad fighter felt the pain of his previous wounds returning and fell to his knees, only to be kicked to the ground by Dosu.

"You should have just come along quietly instead of making this hard on yourself." Kin Tsuchi kicked him again, leaving the boy with a swollen eye.

Zaku shook his head disdainfully as he lifted their victim by the neck. "Such a waste of raw talent… The boss will be disappointed to hear that we were forced to kill a quality recruit."

Before they could strike again, Ino ran onto the scene, her fists clenched white with intensity and her eyes filled with anger. "Hey you jerks! Who gave you permission to use my friend as a doormat?" she screamed loudly.

"You have spirit, but I wouldn't be so keen on opening my mouth if I were you." Dosu jumped in front of her, his visible eyes glaring with interest. "Leave now, or share your friend's pain."

Ino noticed their injuries quickly and returned the glare. "Big talk considering that you three goons don't look so hot, either. It looks like bandage boy can barely stand, and you two in back both look like someone shoved you into a trash compactor. I can tell from a single glance that the only reason that you losers beat Lee is because you fought him three on one."

"Be… careful… … Ino!" he warned through labored breaths. "They're… much stronger… than they… … look." Lee coughed loudly, spitting a mouthful of blood on the ground.

Zaku dropped the boy and instead turned to face his companion. "Freaky brows here is a lot smarter than he looks, but if you insist on fighting us, you'll end up just like him."

The blonde-haired girl crunched her fists together with a confident expression. "Were I in your shoes, I wouldn't be so keen to underestimate an opponent."

Dosu charged forward to land a hit on the girl, but was surprised when he ran headfirst into an enemy attack. Kenichi Shirahama leapt from the bushes and slammed his knee into the man's face, causing a red stain to appear from beneath the layer of bandages on his face. He tried to flip around in mid-air, but the newcomer responded by placed a hand underneath Dosu's head and thrusting upward using the force of his opposite hand. The combination of techniques grounded the enemy instantly, rendering him motionless on the ground.

"What the Hell!" Ino was shocked by the boy's sudden appearance, his fluid fighting movements rendering her speechless for a moment.

"Are you okay?" the boy's expression softened as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Those moves…" she began with a puzzled expression, staring wide-eyed at the gardener she had met only minutes ago. "Your fighting ability is clearly a result of some kind of intense martial arts training."

Kin tossed a fistful of shuriken in the air, forcing both of the newcomers to move out of the way. Ino shifted her stance and took a deep breath, gracefully sliding past the oncoming projectiles by moving directly through them. Kenichi ducked and flipped sideways to avoid being hit, a frightened yelp escaping his lips as one of the bladed weapons grazed the band-aid on his face. He jumped a little when he saw the pieces of the bandage float away, looking slightly relieved that he hadn't been sliced open.

His gaze immediately fell on the girl standing behind him. "You practice the martial arts too?" he asked with a confused expression.

Ino returned his question with a smile. "Looks like its something we both have in common. Who in their right mind would expect two members of the garden club to have awesome moves?"

Kenichi nodded before turning to face the enemy. "To think you three lowlifes would gang up on an innocent girl who was only trying to stand up for a friend. I won't just stand by and watch!"

"Who the Hell do you think you are?" Zaku stepped forward challengingly.

"I am Kenichi Shirahama, the Number One Disciple of Ryozanpaku!" he said proudly.

The two enemies exchanged glances, having been warned by their superiors of the boy fitting his description. Their superior had told them to transfer to the school partially in hopes to testing a group of kids that called themselves the Shinpaku Alliance, although they weren't expecting to run into the group's strongest fighter so soon. Both of them found the situation strange. The boss old them that this boy had defeated Ragnarok, but he exuded no killing intent whatsoever, and wasn't very intimidating.

"I know that name!" the spiky-haired thug replied with a smirk. "You must be that annoying punk who took down Odin… The boys upstairs said to watch out for you, but I have to say that seeing you in person is really a letdown."

Ryozanpaku's disciple raised his fists again. "You're both injured and I don't really want to fight you! Back down now, this way none of us has to get hurt."

Before an answer could be given, Dosu struggled to his feet again, having recovered from the impact to the best of his ability. "You weak little bastard… Catching me by surprise when I was wasn't even looking. You will suffer the pain of a thousand deaths for pulling off such a cowardly attack."

"Really, and attacking my friend three on one was so much better?" Ino added with a note of sarcasm, her gaze shifting to her fellow gardener. "So Shirahama, you up for this?"

"I never am, but that's never stopped me before…" he nodded with a nervous frown.

He did not have a chance to gather his nerves as the three gang members sprung into action. They dashed to the proper positions before resuming their previous formation, this time flanking two opponents instead of just one. Moving clockwise, they each began attacking the enemy to the best of their ability, causing both of their targets to guard against the strikes. Kenichi wasn't sure what to think of his new acquaintance following the revelation that she was a fighter, but seeing her moves made him wonder who had taught her.

Lee shook his head to clear it, his eyes refocusing on the battle. "Break the formation… That's their weakness!" he screamed, silently choking back the pain in his gut.

At this time, Ino grabbed Kin's wrist and used a high kick to gain some footing. Seeing an opening, she used her opposite leg to strike the other girl's knee while following up with an eye-gouge and a series of powerful strikes to her opponent's shoulders. The strikes came so quickly that Kin was unable to defend herself and quickly succumbed, her eyes widening in surprise as she hit the ground.

Meanwhile, Zaku lashed out at Kenichi with a series of punches, but the Shinpaku leader slapped his fist aside and struck him in the jugular with the side of his hand, knocking the man off balance for a moment. He raised his hand to perform a knockout blow, but was blocked by the bandaged man he had knocked out earlier. Dosu attacked, forcing Kenichi to use the stepped method to avoid being struck down. The brown-haired boy placed his foot down and toppled the bandaged man, pushing with all of his weight and tossing him headfirst onto the asphalt.

His other male teammate tried to strike Kenichi when his guard was down, but a green shape darted past and pounded Zaku into the dust before any of them could react. The remaining fighters turned in surprise as Lee re-entered the fray, moving less gracefully than usual and covered in wounds from his previous beating. His enemy fell with a crash, but he wasn't in the best shape either. He stumped slightly only to be caught by Ino.

"You idiot… We had the situation taken care of." She helped him into a standing position, letting him lean on her shoulder. "Don't push yourself so hard."

Kenichi walked over to the duo and observed them for a moment before intruding. "Is your friend all right now?"

Lee grinned through the pain, his thumb shooting into the air. "I must admit that you fight very well, Mr. Shirahama."

The other boy suddenly realized something important. "I don't mean to sound rude, but apparently you heard my name during the fight. Strangely enough, I still don't know yours?"

"Ah yes, where are my manners… I am Rock Lee, a humble disciple of Konoha Dojo!"

"The Konoha Dojo you say?" the other boy scratched his chin with a puzzled look, a dawning realization hitting him. "Wait a minute, are you two acquainted with Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno? They claim to be from the same fighting school."

"I see you already met knucklehead and billboard brow." Ino replied with a knowing expression.

"They are both good friends of ours. Lee chimed in, his happy exterior slipping as a jolt of pain struck him.

The blonde woman wrapped an arm around her friend in an attempt to stop him from slipping. "Well it's been fun, but I should probably get Lee back to our dojo to receive some medical treatment. See you at the gardening club tomorrow!"

"All right, see you." Kenichi waved them off, looking slightly bothered by their sudden departure.

"I can't believe you didn't go all out against those three stooges. You could have easily taken them all down without attracting so much attention if you had been more responsible." She scolded her friend.

Rock Lee shook his head resolutely. "Guy-sensei aid that I am not to fight like that unless the lives of very important people are at stake."

Her eyes almost bulged out of her head out of sheer annoyance. "You moron!" she raged loudly. "What about your own sorry ass getting beaten to a bloody pulp, huh? Isn't that emergency enough for ya?"

"I was afraid of inuring my opponents by using so much power." He quipped.

"Ugh, next time be more worried about your own neck instead of the guys that wanna kill you!"

Kenichi watched them bicker as they marched off, before realizing he was alone with three unconscious and heavily beaten students, he quickly ran off to avoid getting in trouble, half regretting that he had gotten involved. As the brown-haired disciple departed from the scene of the fight, the sound of a PDA echoed from the roof. A certain point-eared student had seen the entirety of the fight, and was highly amused by the sudden appearance of so many skilled fighters in one place, especially since he didn't recognize several of them

"It look like things around here are about to get a whole lot more interesting…" Haruo Niijima mused as he lowered his handheld computer. The young man smiled devilishly revealing his sharpened incisors, an insane cackle filling the school grounds as he slipped out of sight.

Note to Readers: First fight of the story, although I feel bad that it wasn't Naruto who was involved this time. And I hope I made it clear that Lee lost because he was outnumbered and severely holding back. Next chapter you'll receive more explanations if anyone is hoping for some revelations about what exactly is going on. Now that Niijima has an idea what's going on, you can expect to see the rest of the Shinpaku Alliance pretty soon too!

Still looking for some reviews, and thanks to anyone who was nice enough to drop a line. I really love to hear suggestions if anyone has any to contribute! Sorry if there's a fair number of typos, or errors in spelling and grammar, but I usually write chapters for stories late at night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Revelations **

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

It was late afternoon at the Konoha Dojo, and all of the disciples were taking break before their evening training session. The first day had been a bit stressful on all of them, so it was nice to sit back and relax once and a while. Shikamaru and Choji were lounging on the sofa, while Sakura and Ino occupied the two chairs surrounding the coffee table. The second couch was currently being taken up by Rock Lee, who while feeling considerably better than before, was still recovering from the severe beating he had taken earlier.

Due to the lack of seating, Naruto sat on the floor beside the couch, having vacated his seat so that the injured boy could recline. Normally he would have complained, but at the moment he was angry and upset for different reasons entirely. The group had quickly gathered around Lee upon his return, although Ino had been the first to discuss the incident that happened after school. Now sitting together in the living room of their lodgings, they were all awestruck to hear that trouble had found them so quickly.

"No way!" Naruto shouted, suddenly leaning forward in surprise. "Some jerk actually had the nerve to attack you guys in broad daylight."

Lee shot upright before nodding his head once. "I must admit this was most unexpected."

Shikamaru waved aside the notion. "Wait a second, maybe you guys should start from the beginning. Ino found you in the middle of this scrap, but what I wanna know is how exactly did it start, and why were these people so determined on kicking the shit out of you?"

"That's exactly what I was wondering." Sakura added in, her frown becoming a look of concern.

The bushy-browed fighter made a sharp intake of breath as he felt his injuries, causing him to fall back down. His teammates quickly rushed to help with Ino placing a bag of ice over his left eye before returning to her seat. Choji supported him from behind and adjusted the pillow behind his head while the resident genius retrieved some medication from a nearby cabinet. Once he was back in a sitting position, Lee took a pill from a bottle of painkillers and swallowed it, taking a moment to find his center before facing his friends again.

He settled down and regained his composure before speaking. "It all began when I went to the karate club in an attempt to participate in some extracurricular activities. I figured I could show the members a thing or two and we could share our philosophies on the martial arts, but it those men were nothing more than a bunch of dishonorable thugs."

"Oh man, please don't say you got beaten by a bunch of karate club dudes." Naruto squinted his eyes and grimaced at the thought. "After all the training you've done, you should be able take on about a hundred of those lowlifes without even breaking a sweat."

"I initially tried to befriend them, but those fiends saw fit to insult me along with Guy-sensei for no reason!" he stated fiercely. "Since they seemed so keen on picking a fight, I challenged their leader with the pride of my master on the line, and soundly defeated him. They saw fit to attack me as a group, but I was kind enough to forgive this disgraceful act and only knocked them out."

Choji wore a puzzled look. "All right, so how does this have anything to do with those other guys you were talking about before?"

Lee clutched his injured arm, using his other hand to hold the ice bag in place. "As it turns out, there were three people who had watched me defeat the club. I do not remember their names precisely, but there were two men and a woman among them. They claimed to be impressed with my fighting skills and wanted me to join in gang of thugs called Team Hebi… Naturally, I refused to be part of such a dishonorable group."

"Looks like you really took a pounding from those guys. They must've been pretty strong if they could do that to you, even if it was three on one." Shikamaru deduced with a critical eye. "These punks must've been trained to execute their attacks as a team."

"Indeed they did, and it was most affective. I could tell that they were using a pre-determined formation from the very beginning." The bushy-browed fighter replied with a grudging respect.

The resident genius sighed wearily. "I find it hard to believe that would run into this kind of trouble on the first day… Man, what a drag…"

"You forgot to factor in the fact that this idiot always holds back because he's too afraid to kill his opponents." Ino folded her arms with an irritated look, her scrutinizing gaze boring into the injured man. "I walked in during the fight and noticed he wasn't using any of those fancy techniques that Master Guy taught him, not to mention he was still wearing his ankle weights…"

Sakura fired up instantly, although she looked more worried than angry for a change. "What on Earth were you thinking, dumbass? Do you like getting your butt kicked?"

When the boy didn't answer, Ino shrugged off the question. "That's what I said, but he told me that Master Guy forbid him to use his full power unless people's lives are in danger." The group released a collective sigh at the thought, most of them having expected such an answer from the bushy-browed karate user, but she quickly recovered. "You were lucky that the fight spilled into the streets, or else we wouldn't have showed up in time to save you."

"Sakura was at swim-team tryouts and the rest of us were already back here… Are you saying someone else helped you fight those thugs?" Shikamaru noted the numerical discrepancy with a mild note of interest.

"I was just as surprised as you are." The blonde girl moved a strand of her hair aside, revealing a bemused expression. "You guys probably remember this morning when I said I was going to check out the gardening club, right?"

Naruto gave her a disinterested look. "Yeah, but what's that got to do with anything?"

"After joining the gardening club, I could see those bastards beating Lee to a pulp outside the greenhouse." She began with a sour expression. "I stopped them from attacking bushy-brows, but one of those creeps decided to come after me instead. I could have taken him down myself, but the dude from the gardening club snuck up on us and dropped that jerk using a combination of martial arts."

"Wait a minute… You're saying you were rescued by a gardener?" Choji stifled a laugh.

A sudden look of understanding lit up Sakura's face. "Hey Naruto, you don't suppose it was that kid we met this morning during first period, do you? I remember him saying he was a member of the gardening club."

Ino glanced over with a look of recognition. "Including me there are only three members of the club right now, only one of which is a boy. Was his name Kenichi Shirahama?"

"Oh yeah, that Shirahama guy also said that he practiced martial arts." The orange-clad boy added thoughtfully. "Although the kid didn't look like much of a fighter to me."

"Yup, it's gotta the same guy we ran into." The pink-haired girl agreed with a stern nod.

Lee smiled despite the pain coursing through his body. "I do agree that this Kenichi lacked killing intent, but he was a remarkable fighter nonetheless and his movements were masterfully executed. Due to my injuries I regret my inability to learn more about this man, for he is a truly one of the most fascinating martial artists that I have ever encountered."

The blonde female considered the prospect for a second. "I was pretty shocked finding out that someone as harmless-looking as him was so strong, but his fighting style was pretty interesting. From what I could see, he used a karate stance and fought with a combination of Muay Thai and Chinese Kenpo. Unorthodox, but it seemed to be affective."

"You guys can tell all that from watching a single fight?" Naruto added with an interested look, his smile widening. "Sounds like sparring with someone like him might be fun after all! He bragged about being the top disciple of Ryozan-something…"

"It's called Ryozanpaku!" Sakura corrected with an impatient frown. "According to Lady Tsunade, the masters of that dojo are widely considered to be the greatest in the country, and some of the most powerful in the world. Their standing among martial artists is very similar to that of Konoha."

Lee shot upright, looking excited. "Really then! To think that such a fateful encounter would occur. I look forward to challenging this boy as soon as my wounds heal!"

Naruto frowned at the thought. "Don't get too excited busy-brows, this Kenichi dude's a pacifist who got his title because he's the only disciple training at his dojo."

"That might not be such a bad thing." Choji scratched his head and relaxed his shoulders. "I mean if a bunch of masters of that caliber agreed to train him and no one else, that's gotta speak volumes about this dude as a person. We know from experience with our own teachers that it's not easy to impress a top-class fighter."

Shikamaru who had been sleeping beside his friend suddenly opened his eyes. "I'm a lot more concerned about who these people were that attacked you guys. They were obviously from a gang, but from what Ino said, it sounds like these thugs could be serious trouble."

"Yeah, but it's not like people like us need to worry too much." Naruto replied with a casual shrug. "If we keep our eyes peeled and our guards up, there shouldn't be any more trouble."

"Ugh, you never learn… Don't be so quick to assume anything!" Sakura scolded him.

The lazy genius nodded in agreement. "She's not wrong about that. We've seen Lee fight at full strength, but even when holding back he's still tough enough to take on an army of mindless thugs. Although they had him outnumbered, the fact that they were able to fight him at all is proof that we could be in for some major problems."

Ino leaned forward anxiously. "It's not like we didn't take care of them. I'm sure Team Hebi won't be coming after us again. What makes you think they'll be back?"

"That's just how gangs work… You can take one of them down, but there's bound to be more waiting to jump in for the kill." Shikamaru explained in a calm, blunt tone. "I'm also willing to bet that the ones you fought were just the recruiters. The people in charge are bound to be a lot more dangerous, and I doubt they'll be happy to hear that someone took down their enforcers."

"Didn't one of you guys mention that they call themselves Team Hebi?" Choji recounted pensively. "It's not much to go off of, but at least we have a name to keep in mind in case something like this happens again."

Lee nodded quickly, batting them a thumbs up. "Since we know what the enemy calls itself, we know who we must defeat!"

Sakura let out a sigh, since she personally had no desire to deal with this sort of thing. "I hope you guys don't actually go looking for trouble. The martial arts are about defending yourself, not seeking out potential enemies and taking them down before they can attack you."

"Chill out billboard brow, no one said anything about hunting them down like a bunch of dogs. We just have to keep our guards up like Naruto said, and make sure we know what's going on so that we don't run into more problems like this again." Ino rationalized.

"Will you quit calling me that?" the pink-haired girl asked with a look of annoyance.

Before the conversation could continue, the front door was kicked off its hinges, causing it to crash land on the floor. The disciple looked up in surprise only to sweat drop upon seeing the embarrassed face of Might Guy. The green-clad man rubbed the back of his head with a small blush upon realizing how hard he hit the door, casually reaching down and picking it up. He laid it against the nearby wall before turning back to the young fighters, his wide-mouthed grin firmly back in place.

"Sorry about that… I'll come by to fix it later if you kids don't mind." He greeted them with a cheerful wave, his gaze settling on the blonde boy. "Now then, I came by here to pick up a certain number one disciple for their first training regimen!"

"That's not for another hour…" Naruto groaned, glancing at the numbers on his cell phone.

The bushy-browed master hopped on one leg and did a goofy spin. "Since the elder put me in charge of your session today, I decided to bump it up a little bit so you can become accustomed to my super fantastic, ultra high-intensity training methods."

Lee stood up with a noticeably limp, a wide smile plastered on his face. "Maybe you could use some help showing him the ropes… Perhaps I should accompany you guys?"

"Due to your injuries, I want you to stay and relax a while so that you'll be well-rested for your own session tomorrow." Guy placed hand on his apprentice's head, gently pushing him back onto the couch. "Tomorrow I promise a super long regimen, but for now what you need to do is heal up… That's an order!"

"I accept your kindness, Guy-sensei!" he saluted through tears of joy, the pain causing him to fall back onto his pillow with a soft plop. "I promise you I will get better and will be prepared for the training you have planned! This I solemnly swear by my honor as a martial artist!"

His master gave the boy a slap on the shoulder before giving him a thumbs-up. "Now that's the spirit Lee, you got the Power of Youth!" The two men exchanged fist bumps and copied each other's nice-guy pose before the teacher turned his attention back to his new student. "So Naruto, are you ready to start you number one disciple training?"

"Yup, I'm all ready!" the orange-clad boy replied with a smile. "I always said I was gonna be the best there was, and here's where it all begins!"

"Then let's get going…" the older man replied, the duo cheerfully marching to the broken door. As his new apprentice walked by, Guy turned back to his main student and smiled. "Let's just hope he's got some of the same good old-fashioned work ethnic you do!"

Lee nodded once with a look of understanding. "Do not worry… I am confident he does!"

The master gave them one last farewell wave as he reached over, and placed the door back onto its frame before beating a hasty retreat. He quickly took the lead as he and Naruto headed over to the training field where several wooden posts were sticking out of the ground. Since the other teachers and disciples were given the afternoon off, they had the entire area to themselves. Upon reaching their destination, Guy made a grandiose gesture at the surrounding grounds, both master and disciple looking equally eager to begin the session.

"All right, here's where we begin your journey as Konoha's top disciple! Are you ready?"

"You bet!" Naruto shouted with anticipation, his right fist shooting high into the air.

"Easy there tiger, first we gotta go over the basics…" Guy waved his hands to calm his new student, even though he looked equally as excited to be involved. After taking a deep breath, the master regained a sense of composure and waited for his student to settle down. "As you already know, I will be acting as your karate master! This means that from this day forward you will be following my training regimen the same as you have Master Jiraiya's in the past."

Naruto relaxed with a calm expression, gently exhaling before springing into a salute. "Sure thing Master Guy, I'm willing to do whatever it takes! So where do we start?"

The master's teeth shined. "That's what I was hoping to hear, but I'm gonna warn before we start that my training sessions might be a little bit different than those you're used to."

"How is that?" the blonde-haired disciple questioned with a small shrug.

"Since you're learning a new type of fighting style with a different teacher, training sessions will naturally vary from what you have become accustomed over time. This is probably one of the most difficult things about being the dojo's best disciple." The bushy-browed man explained.

Guy took off his backpack and placed it on the ground next to a large wooden post, taking a moment to rummage around the inside. He tossed aside a spare jumpsuit, leg warmers, some nunchuks, and a pair of sandals before finally finding what he was looking for. The karate master withdrew a pair of ankle weights similar to those worn by his own apprentice and handed them to his new student, causing Naruto to stumble backwards. Although the boy was strong in his own right, he was pretty surprised at how heavy they were when held.

"Whoa, what the Hell do you want me to do with these?" he asked with a look of dread.

"Lee gained his speed and agility through intense training in conjunction with these weights. While I won't ask you to carry them all the time like he seems to do, I expect you to wear them during the entirety of our sessions together."

Naruto dropped them with a surprised look, a small cloud of dust rising into the air as both hit the ground. "You gotta be kidding me… Those things weigh a ton." He protested.

The karate master smiled. "And that's exactly why I use them when training disciples. Before we even begin learning techniques, you have to become accustomed to the amount of hard work I expect of my students. It'll make the second half of your training much easier once you gain the necessary stamina, this I promise you!"

"All right, I'm putting 'em on." He replied, securing the straps tightly so that the ankle weights would stay in place. After standing back up, he lifted both legs and shook his feet as if testing his maneuverability. "Wow, if it weren't for Master Jiraiya's training, I probably wouldn't be able to move with these on."

"It's good to see that you've got what it takes to keep moving, but I expect a lot more than that!"

"Like what? It's not like you're gonna ask me to run a marathon wearing these things, right?" Naruto laughed with a nervous frown.

Guy chuckled at the thought. "I would never force a first-timer to run a marathon while wearing those ankle weights." His new student relaxed for a moment, but the master instead leapt on his shoulders, wrapping his arms around his neck in a stranglehold. "You think too small! Today you'll be giving me a piggyback ride around town three times!"

"You gotta be kidding me! Two laps around the city with you on top of me!" Naruto raged, looking both horrified and sickened by the thought. "Won't people stare if they see a grown man hanging onto my shoulders like a five-year old?"

"All right, I see where you're going with this… If you don't wanna do that, we can go four hundred laps around the grounds instead." The master added with a thoughtful expression.

The boy's eyes almost popped out of his head. "F-f-four hundred laps!" he stammered violently. "You gotta be out of your mind! My legs will fall off before then with these weights tied to my ankles! What makes you think anyone would be crazy enough to… Ouch!"

Guy frowned before jabbing his disciple in the side with his knee, causing him to run around in an attempt to get him off. "C'mon Naruto, that's the spirit! Show me the Power of Youth!" he beckoned, violently nudging the boy in he ribs to make him move faster.

Naruto groaned as he felt the weight on his legs intensify. "Man this fucking sucks!"

"That'll be another ten laps for foul language!" Guy added, never dispensing with his smile for a second. "That means you've got about 409.5 laps to go kid. Move faster or at this rate we'll be done by midnight."

"Why me!" Naruto screamed at the sky as he received another hit from his insane teacher.

Across the grounds Jiraiya watched from the front porch of the master's lodgings, his hand wrapped around a bottle of sake. He took a sip and smiled in amusement as his student struggled through the first lesson of karate training. Leaning against the building several yards away Kakashi Hatake sat and read his book, looking disinterested with the daily proceedings. Anko Mitarashi stood with her arm resting on the guardrail, her face displaying several emotions at the same time.

She glanced back at the middle-aged master with a smirk. "The rate it's going, that knucklehead won't even last the first day. I'll admit he's got a lot of guts, but it might have been a mistake to give this honor to Naruto."

"You don't know him the way I do." Jiraiya set down his drink, looking as if he were enjoying himself. "Despite what your former master would say, a true martial artist isn't someone who masters the most powerful techniques, or even the person who has the greatest aptitude for it. A real fighter is someone who strives for the best and never gives up. In all my years I've never met anyone more deserving of that praise than Naruto."

"All right, I'll take your word for it." She swallowed stick of dumplings before glancing over at the pair running around the grounds with a smile.

Despite his appearance, Kakashi had been paying attention to everything that was being said. He lowered his book and cleared his throat. "Take a closer look, Anko." He pointed to the training session. "Naruto may complain a lot, but don't let it fool you. Just from a glance, it's clear to me that he's more than capable."

The middle-aged master nodded. "I've seen him go through a lot in the years that I trained him alone. It'll take a hundred times worse to break someone with his spirit, that you can be sure."

"The old man scheduled me to train with him tomorrow assuming he survives Guy's insane tactics tonight in one piece. That's when I'll see if that maggot really has what it takes!" Anko replied with an excited expression, her eyes glimmering with excitement.

Later that Night…

Kenichi sat in the main room of Ryozanpaku with Miu and his six masters, the group finally sitting down for dinner after a long day of hard training. While their disciple was usually ready to faint at the end of the day, the masters appeared as if they had rather enjoyed the sessions. His teachers were an odd bunch whose appearance varied greatly from large hulking men to more petite individuals who stature belied their monstrous fighting ability. Sitting at the head of the table was the Hayato Furinji, a tall muscular man wearing a green robe with long blonde hair, a thick mustache, and a voluminous beard.

At the right side was Muay Thai boxer Apachai Hopachai, a large muscular man with dark skin and short spiky silver hair, and wearing a sleeveless yellow top and red jogging shorts. Beside him sat Kenpo Master Kensei Ma, a middle-aged short balding man with a thick mustache and a bowler hat. A second powerfully built man with a scar running across his nose was seated beside him, his short dark hair styled with a large bang hanging over his tanned face. Known as for his karate skills, Shio Sakaki also wore a short-sleeved brown leather jacket and jeans.

Occupying the other end of the table was the Jujutsu Master Akisame Koetsuji, a lean man with messy brown hair, a thin mustache, and nearly colorless eyes. He was garbed in a traditional Japanese hakama, and seemed to be the most reserved of the group. To his immediate right sat Weapons prodigy Shigure Kosaka, a curvaceous woman dressed in a short pink kimono, dark stockings. Her waist-length black hair was tied back with an elegant ribbon, leaving two curtains to frame her beautiful face. The remaining two seats were occupied by Kenichi and Miu, but at the moment the focus was entirely on them.

"So, you met some disciples from Konoha, eh?" the elder mused with a look of fascination.

Miu wore a cheerful expression. "We met two of them in the morning during homeroom, but Kenichi said he ran into a couple of others after school while fighting off some bullies."

Kenichi wore a panicked expression at the thought. "It's like I said earlier, there were three jerks beating on some guy. The new girl from the gardening club stuck her neck out to help her friend, but when they jumped her my instincts sort of kicked in."

"That's my disciple… Always keeping an eye out of the young ladies." Kensei added with a crafty wink.

"It's really not like that at all." He swept aside the notion with a slightly embarrassed look. "You know I have a thing against hitting girls, and since those thugs were ganging up on people three to one, I couldn't just stand there and watch. I was surprised to learn that Ino girl was also a martial artist."

Sakaki's neutral expression changed into one of pride. "Sounds like you didn't have too much trouble dealing with those guys, although from what you told me, one of those Konoha kids didn't make it out of it without a few scrapes. Goes to show that the masters of that dojo don't teach their disciples as well as we do ours."

The brown-haired disciple looked over at him with a spark of curiosity. "You talk as if you already knew about these people. Maybe you can tell me more about this Konoha Dojo, and explain exactly why I haven't heard of it before?"

His karate master crossed his arms before turning to his right for help. "Why don't you tell him, Akisame? I was never the best when it came time to these kinds of long explanations."

"That answer is simple enough." the Jujitsu teacher replied with a neutral expression, his blank gaze shifting to the lone disciple. He cleared his throat like a teacher preparing for a lecture before beginning. "Konoha Dojo is an elite fighting school located on the opposite side of town. Although it's standing is similar to that or Ryozanpaku, the dojo typically accepts potential fighters who come from families with a lineage in the world of martial arts over normal candidates such as yourself."

"That being said, we are well acquainted with several of the masters who reside there. An old friend of mine named Jiraiya is one of the dojo's top instructors." Kensei reached into his pocket and held up a book with a picture of a beautiful woman on the cover. "I usually provide him with photographs to inspire his writings in exchange for free copies of his book series."

Miu snatched up the book, her eyes widening when she read the description on the back. "What the Hell is this supposed to be? Some kind of perverted porn novel?" she screamed loudly.

Although the young disciple sitting beside her attempted to lean in, she shoved him away and tossed the book back at Kensei with the intent to hit him, although the perverted Kenpo master caught and pocketed the novel with a fast movement of his wrist. The others had long grown used to the antics of the Chinese fighter and decided it was best to ignore him, although Kenichi had actually been curious about the content of the book. Realizing that Miu had seen him reaching for it, he quickly decided to forget about the incident altogether.

Hayato Furinji looked around with a warm expression. "I am personally acquainted with the elder of Konoha Dojo as well. Fought him several times in my youth, and he always knew how to put up a decent challenge no matter what the conditions."

"Really, what's he like?" the lone disciple questioned. "If he was anything like his students, I would imagine he's really outgoing, blunt, and enthusiastic."

"Yes, he was like that when we first met, but that was several decades ago." The elder replied with a nostalgic chortle. "They say some people lose a lot of vitality with old age, and I suppose you could say this certainly applies to him. That's not necessarily a bad thing… Although he became very serious over the years, that grizzled old monkey never lost his sense of humor. I for one used to be a ruffian who picked fights for no apparent reason. Sometimes it's better off we mellowed with time."

Miu wore a pouty expression at the thought. "What exactly did you mean by calling him a monkey?"

The elder looked down on his granddaughter with a peaceful expression. "Hiruzen Sarutobi, the elder of Konoha, is the world's foremost master of Tai Shing Pek Kwar, better known to most people as Monkey Kung Fu."

"Chinese martial arts is definitely your area of expertise… Do you know anything about this, Master Ma?" Kenichi asked the shorter man sitting across the table.

Kensei stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "I'm not overly well-versed in the practice myself, but that particular style of fighting involves mimicking the movements of a primate. It usually involved and aggressive stance combined with quick and unorthodox movements that involve the feet just as heavily as the hands."

The brown-haired disciple imagined it for a moment, although it sounded difficult to imagine someone actually using it affectively in a fight. "If this guy was strong enough to challenge the elder, he must be an amazing master."

"It's true I've never lost a fight, but that doesn't mean I've never encountered someone powerful enough to earn my respect." The oldest master replied with a stern yet calm expression.

"I'm assuming their disciples were decent fighters." Akisame diverted the conversation back to the day's events.

His own student nodded. "From what I could tell, they were actually holding back. They seemed like nice people, although the way one of them dressed was almost embarrassing to watch."

"Was this disciple wearing a tacky green jumpsuit and orange leg warmers?" Kensei asked.

"Well… yeah!" Kenichi scratched the back of head with a surprised look, although usually it was Master Koetsuji that seemed to read his mind. "How did you know?"

The old pervert snickered quietly before groaning. "The boy must've been a student of Might Guy, Konoha's resident karate master. The man always dresses like that and has a habit of teaching his students to do the same. I can't help but wonder how that hyperactive imbecile became a master to begin with."

"Apapapa! Is this a guessing game? Apachai hopes he wins!" the Muay Thai master shouted.

"Forget I asked…" Kensei added without even looking at his colleagues.

Sakaki drowned the remains of sake in his bottle with a large gulp before setting it down, his expression displaying little interest. "Forget those Konoha dudes… I'm more interested to learn more about those creeps that jumped you. Did they have any good moves or were they just a bunch of common street trash?"

Kenichi considered him for a moment. "They definitely had some kind of training in the martial arts with each of them specializing in a different discipline. One of the guys used karate and I also saw a variation of Chinese Kung Fu. The girl looked like she had some experience in weapons training. They used some kind of strategy where each all three surround the enemy and take turns attacking."

The elder stroked his beard pensively. "It sounds like they were using a specific attack pattern. It can be most affective so long as the strategy holds, but the strategy falls apart once the formation is broken or the victim figures out the rhythm to the enemy attacks."

His granddaughter frowned as she thought about it. "Whoever they were, those guys sound like they were real trouble."

"With your kinda luck, this could turn into a big problem." Shio Sakaki warned his disciple.

Kenichi twitched nervously, his body shaking as he faced the karate master. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"What he means is that this type of thing is precisely how you became involved with Ragnarok before." Akisame pointed out with impunity. "It's very possible that you may have attracted the attention of another group of fighters, perhaps even more deadly than those you may have faced in the past."

The dojo's lone disciple paled as he remembered his struggle against his childhood friend Ryuto Asamiya. Due to the latter's status as the leader of the city's most powerful gang, it had been his most difficult and infamous victory to date. The memory still fresh in his mind, and whenever he thought about the battle, it made him wonder how he had defeated such a powerful opponent. Now hearing his masters talking about the possibility of a new threat, he remembered something Sakaki had once said about fighting stronger opponents: So long as he continued to win, there would always be a stronger opponent waiting.

"Don't panic Kenichi… I'm certain you'll make it through this so long as we continue with your training." Kensei Ma attempted to console the weak-kneed boy. "Besides, there's no evidence that you're being targeted by more hoodlums anyway, so there's no need to panic yourself into a coma before anything happens."

"I'm sure everything will turn out fine no matter what happens." Miu replied, gently placing her hands on his shoulders to ease his nerves.

Kenichi let out a held breath, his stress evaporating along with it. "You're right… These things do have a tendency to work out in the end. Even if I have to go through Hell first, I always seem to make it out alive."

"Not to mention you've got friends to back you up if anything happens." She added kindly. "You may have been the one to take Odin, but that doesn't mean you stopped Ragnarok alone: You've got me, Nijima, Tanimoto, and the rest of the Shinpaku Alliance too!"

"Thanks Miu, it's like you always know the right thing to say whenever I'm ready to explode."

"No problem." She smiled back before taking her seat next to him.

Sakaki groaned again. "All right, if you two kids are done, I say we start eating before the food gets cold."

"Apachai finished while the rest of you were talking about stuff… Please give seconds!" the dark-skinned man held out his plate and bowl with an innocent expression.

"Sure thing…" Miu replied cheerfully, quickly scooping him some rice and curry.

As the meal proceeded as usual, the elder began to consider everything he had learned that night. Hearing the name of Konoha Dojo brought back several memories, but it also made him wonder of there was something more he wasn't grasping. If there was one thing he could admit, it was that Hiruzen Sarutobi rarely became involved in anything unless there was a good reason, and the appearance the of the old man's disciples had caught Hayato Furinji's interest. He quickly wondered if a visit to the monkey master's dojo would be necessary, but decided to wait and see if anything else happened.

Later that night…

Dosu, Kin and Zaku hesitated for a moment as they limped through the door of the gang's hideout, each of them dreading what was to come. Dosu held a crutch in his left hand while Zaku's arm was in a sling, the lone female of the group wearing a neck brace and bandages to cover the large number of unsightly bruises she had received during the fight. Although the building itself was a ruined mess on the outside, the inside had been completely refurbished by Team Hebi's subordinates.

On of the thugs guarding the door allowed them access to the main chamber, where their superiors were waiting. The room beyond was large and decorated like a shrine or temple, a large blood red carpet running down the center of the room and leading to a slightly elevated platform in the back. The symbol of their gang hung on a purple banner positioned at the far end of the room bearing a crest in the likeness of a snake. Several hooded figures lined the sides of the chamber. They were known as the Six Demons, collectively the gang's most powerful fighters.

Their leader sat on the elevated platform, a certain sense of bloodlust radiating from the man's body that caused several of his subordinates to cringe in fear while in his presence. He was known widely as the Devil Fist duet to his merciless and cold-hearted nature. The assembly grew silent as Dosu's team entered the room, the three underlings doing their best to keep a sense of composure while in the presence of those they feared most.

"Judging by your appearance, would I be correct to assume that someone defeated you." A voice issued from beneath their leader's hood.

"We thought we found a quality recruit, but it turned out he wasn't interested." Zaku looked at the floor, the corners of his mouth twitching nervously. "A fight broke out, but it didn't end favorably for my team. You have our sincerest apologies for returning empty handed."

The Devil Fist's dark eyes narrowed dangerously. "Three of my best enforcers were defeated by one man? Either this enemy is stronger than we expected, or the three of you are even more worthless than I originally anticipated."

"I'm a little surprised that you came back here with so many injuries. It would appear that whoever your opponent was chose to be merciful. A practitioner of the Katsujinken no doubt." Another voice commented.

One of the hooded figures stepped from the crowd, the hood falling backwards to reveal long red hair arranged neatly on one side while it appeared unruly and spiky on the other. Her eyes were a bright red color, and she wore a pair of glasses with oval lenses and a thick dark frame. She was a girl of average height with a slim, shapely figure concealed by the presence of her cloak. Despite her serious demeanor, she exuded a deep sense of amusement that anyone with refined senses could detect.

"The Saving Fist philosophy, is it?" their leader mused, a frown barely visible through the darkness. "What exactly are you saying, Karin?"

The redhead shot him a flirtatious wink before resuming her serious stance. "I'm simply pointing out that if this man they encountered truly was a follower of that misguided belief system, there's a chance he would never have joined our cause no matter what the case."

Dosu groaned as he felt the pain of his injuries, gently shaking his head. "We were not defeated by one man, but several different fighters using a variety of styles. Apparently pursuing a single target attracted the attention of several other fighters."

"Who exactly were you fighting? Perhaps you can give me a description of your opponents, or even a name?" their leader's voice held a note interest, although his face remained impassive beneath the shadow of his cloak.

"The first was a man with thick eyebrows and a bad haircut. When we found him, he was wearing a tacky green jumpsuit." Kin explained slowly, her teeth grinding angrily. "Judging by his movements and stance, it would appear that his fighting style was a variation of karate."

Their leader stroked his chin thoughtfully, his mouth twisting into a weary grimace moments later. "Tell me this… Did this man you fought use a series of wider range thrusts uncommon to the discipline of karate? Was his opening move a leaping kick supplemented with a 360 degree spin capable of striking down multiple opponents?"

Zaku's eyes widened with mingled recognition and surprise. "Exactly, but how did you…"

"It just so happens that I am acquainted with this man you so carelessly attacked, and personally I have my doubts that you could have won if he had been taking you seriously. I'm honestly not surprised that your mission ended in failure."

Dosu fell on one knee, gently nursing his injured form. "It was difficult, but we did manage to stop that bushy-browed freak. We would have been successful if the battle had not attracted the attention of his friends. A girl with long blonde hair discovered what we were up to, bringing with her the assault commander of the Shinpaku Alliance."

Their female teammate nodded. "In our injured states, we were obviously no match for those meddlesome pests. Although you warned us to look out of the members of the Shinpaku, we had no intention of fighting Kenichi Shirahama so early on."

"This is the very same boy that defeated Odin of Ragnarok. There is a very good possibility that you imbeciles wouldn't have defeated him even at full strength." Karin replied with a sickening smirk. "It's also unfortunate that you attracted the attention of the enemy much sooner than we originally anticipated, would you agree?"

"Very true…" her superior replied in a hoarse undertone. "I did warn you fools not to engage the Shinpaku Alliance until I gave the word, but after hearing your report, this may yet be the lesser of my concerns."

Kin glanced up at him briefly before lowering her head. "Excuse me, but what exactly are you talking about? Wasn't the presence of those powerful fighters at Kouryou High the reason why we were ordered to enroll? You said our goals was to recruit fighters for Team Hebi!"

"Perhaps you were not listening earlier when I mentioned knowing these people you fought. We had already factored in the presence of Kenichi Shirahama and his friends before dispatching you to that school, but the others that your team encountered give me an even greater reason for concern." The boss replied with a note of irritation.

"I am fairly certain that the other fighter that these three encountered were none other than Rock Lee and Ino Yamanaka." Karin elaborated with a scholarly air, gently glancing at their leader for approval. "Both of them are the disciples of Konoha Dojo, a group who strongly opposes the very beliefs which Team Hebi was originally founded."

Zaku bowed his head towards the raised dais. "Since it seems fairly obvious that they will not be turned, would you like us to remove these people from the equation altogether?"

A tall imposing figure standing closest to the boss stepped forward. Although a dark shroud concealed his true appearance, his size and muscular physique scared the three underlings into silence. "Seeing your current state, it would appear that you lack the capacity." He murmured with an unshakable calm.

The leader nodded slowly, causing his hood to move up and down. "If you encountered two of Konoha's disciples, it is very possible that the others are also attending Kouryou High. In any case, we cannot simply continue our operations without first confirming my suspicions. I'm also unwilling to trust you three with such an operation, especially now both they and the Shinpaku Alliance are aware of our presence."

"Then what do you propose we do, leader? I don't suppose you plan on simply engaging them all head-on." Karin raised an eyebrow in amusement.

He paused for a moment, eying the others as if her were sizing them up before setting his gaze upon his enforcers. "Zaku, Kin, and Dosu will continue attending Kouryou High for now. I urge the three of you to stand by until we relay further instructions."

"Are you saying that our mission to recruit new members is being dropped?" Dosu questioned.

"In laments terms, yes…" their superior replied icily. "The situation has been complicated, but this is all the more reason to lay back and report back your observations directly to me."

Karin smirked with a distasteful expression before making a gesture to the assembly. "With all due respect, might I suggest that you send one of us to personally oversee the activities around that school? This way we can insure that the new objectives are completed without fail, and one pf is will be able to step in if the situation demands our direct attention."

Her boss considered it for a moment before nodding again. "That's actually not a bad idea…"

"What about you?" Karin pointed to the cloaked figure standing directly across from her, the person's height and built similar to her own. "If I'm not mistaken, you were already assigned to watch over that particular section of the city. I believe it would be most convenient if you were the one who took on the responsibility."

"Yes, that would be the most sensible option." the boss replied, sounding somewhat satisfied. "I will place you in charge of the proceeding operations to ensure the success of Team Hebi."

The man fell silent before responding in a soft, levelheaded tone. "I have no desire to be directly involved with your plans at the moment."

Karin glared at him, the dingy light shining sinisterly off of her glasses. "How could you be so foolish to refuse a direct command?" she began calmly. "Although we have been given authority as the Six Demons of Team Hebi, each of us is duty bound to obey the orders of the Devil Fist and his master. Surely you understand that there may be consequences if you refuse."

"At the moment I do not believe that the enemy would provide enough of a challenge to warrant my personal attention." He replied, looking over at the others before nodding resolutely. "I am aware of the rules, and will accept any punishments should you deem it necessary."

Another man stepped out of line and threw aside his cloak, revealing his form to the assembly. He was somewhat taller than Karin with a lean muscular build, dark purple eyes, and straight chin-length white hair with a blue tint to it. He also wore sleeveless purple shirt revealing his strong arms, gray pants, a belt, and a pair of sandals. A brown strap ran diagonally across his chest, holding in place the sturdy wooden blade hanging down his back. The most striking part of his appearance was his strangely sharpened teeth, a trait that his clan was known for.

Suigetsu Hozuki was known as the Demon Swordsman among the members of Team Hebi for his talents in armed combat, and next to their leader was probably the most feared among the ranks of the gang for his habit of murdering his own subordinates to satisfy his urge for killing everything that moved. He was known for being somewhat unstable, but his skill and tenacity had caused him to rise through the ranks so quickly, and he was typically the person the others relied on to handle the dirty jobs.

"Soft-hearted as always, aren't you?" he laughed at the smaller man. "I had a feeling you were going to sit this one out, just like always. You don't even show up most of the time, and yet you still manage to hold onto your title as one of the Six Demons."

The cloaked figure standing beside him sighed indifferently. "At least I'm not a barbarian like you…" he added calmly as if they were discussing the matter over drinks.

Suigetsu reached for his weapon. "Why you little fuck… I'll smash your head open!"

"Enough!" their leader stood up, a certain chill filling the air as he bore down on the others.

Everyone fell silent with Zaku's team looking particularly stunned as if the trio had been frozen stiff by the atmosphere in the room. Since they were the weakest combatants present, they realized that things would not go well should the situation break out into chaos. Although she had been relatively expressive before, Karin stepped back into line and pulled her hood up, as if she were afraid to make eye contact with their leader. The other robed figures remained quiet in his wake, while Suigetsu alone seemed unfazed by his outburst.

He smiled wickedly and grasped the handle of his weapon, the gesture revealing his sharpened teeth. "Do you have something to say, leader?"

"As a matter of fact, I do…" the other man jumped from his platform, landing between the two that had been bickering only moments ago.

The action caused them both to step away instinctively, although Suigetsu wasn't the type to be pushed around so easily. Reaching into his case, he drew and swung his kendo blade with both hands, the blow passing through thin-air as his opponent sidestepped. The sharp-toothed man glanced around warily, but was caught off guard again as his opponent struck him in both arms with a whip-like movement of his hands, causing him to drop his weapon. He followed up with a low-kick to the back of his kneecap and a sweeping kick with his opposite leg.

Suigetsu landed on his back with a crash, staring up at his superior in shock. He realized that the series of hits had all happened in less than a second, his blood running cold with fear. Upon realizing that he wasn't dead, he smiled again. "Looks like you win this round, boss…"

"The only reason you're even alive is that I still see some value in your existence." He answered coldly before stepping back and allowing the other man to regain his footing.

The gang leader turned his back on the others and returned to the raised dais, gently settling back into a sitting position before addressing the others. Suigetsu dusted off his clothing and retrieved his weapon before tucking it away in the sheath on his back. Today he received a swift reminder as to why no one else in the gang was foolish enough to challenge the leader. He had learned a similar lesson during their first encounter, when he had been soundly defeated in a stunningly quick battle the likes of which he had never experienced before.

Devil Fist glanced over at his assembled comrades again, a tiny smirk visible. "Well Suigetsu… Since you seem so eager for a fight, perhaps you would like to personally oversee the activities at Kouryou High. After all, it doesn't appear that anyone else is particular interested in the job."

"You decided to open up your big mouth, so it's only appropriate that you be the person to handle the less pleasurable tasks." Karin placed a hand on her hip.

"At least I'm a better choice than the bleeding heart." Suigetsu pointed his thump at the man he had been bickering with earlier, causing the hooded figure to shift uneasily. "With me at the helm, you'll be guaranteed to see some results."

Their leader eyed him carefully. "I suppose that just about settles things. For now, we place you in charge of investigating the situation and coordinating our team's resources."

"So, what exactly do you need me to do?" the demon swordsman asked with a carefree look.

"You moron! Were you even listening to what we were saying earlier?" Karin snapped angrily.

Suigetsu smirked evilly. "Not really… I was too busy imagining little brain bits leaking out of the pretty little head as I smashed that skull of yours into tiny pieces."

She balled her hand into a fist, making an aggressive gesture with her opposite hand. "You ugly, shark-faced bastard! Go ahead and take your best shot! After all the shit you've put me through these last two years, I'll be more than happy to hasten your trip to the morgue!"

Their leader raised a hand to stop her before directing his gaze to the swordsman. "While I understand your desire to be rid of Karin, she is still useful to me, so I can't approve your actions. However, she raises a valid point: This mission may be important to the overall success of Team Hebi, and I expect you to understand my instructions and carry them out properly."

"Yeah, whatever… I'm listening." Suigetsu exhaled with an exasperated expression.

"I need you to determine if there are more of Konoha's disciples currently attending that school while gathering some more intelligence on them and the Shinpaku Alliance. Report back to me, and then I will decide what your next move will be."

The swordsman crossed his arms. "So I'm free to do whatever I want as long as I get the job done?"

His superior nodded before gesturing to the enforcers. "In the meantime I'm also granting you command of these three along with any of our divisional members. I urge you use these resources wisely. Do not get involved personally or engage the enemy unless there's no other option… Do I make myself clear?"

Suigetsu shrugged off the question and began walking towards the exit. "Yeah, I heard you the first time. Just leave everything to me, and I'll be sure to put your concerns to rest."

Reaching onto the floor, the villainous fighter retrieved his cloak, wrapping it around his shoulders with a swing of his arm. Once his shroud was firmly in place, he turned around and departed the scene, giving the others a casual wave as he swept from the room. The assembly fell silent again as they waited for his footsteps to die away, none of them willing to speak until their leader gave his consent. The boss dismissed Kin, Zaku, and Dosu with a wave of his hand, prompting them to follow along in his wake.

Once the group's elites were alone again, their leader removed his hood, revealing chin-length black hair styled spiky in the back with long straight bangs framing both sides of his pale face. His eyes were a deep onyx color resembling pitch-dark tunnels, and he wore a cold emotionless expression that struck fear and discomfort in both enemies and allies alike. The sight of his Sasuke Uchiha's face prompted Karin to blush, although the room's dingy lighting concealed this fact from her fellow members. It hardly mattered considering that they were all focused on their leader, the assembled fighters standing perfectly still in his presence.

Karin stepped forward with a concerned expression. "I don't mean to question your judgment, but was it really a good idea to give that imbecile free reign? When there's an opportunity to show off his fighting skills, he becomes unpredictable and impulsive."

"Although he possesses the reasoning of a savage, Suigetsu doesn't usually pick a fight unless he believes the enemy will be worth killing." Sasuke reasoned with an unshakably calm demeanor. "On top of that, he also knows the consequences for disobeying direct orders… Bearing this in mind, I'm fairly confident that he won't get carried away unless the reason presents itself."

The largest of the robed figure glanced over at their boss. "I also noticed that you didn't penalize Dosu's team for their failure as the school." He began in a deep tone. "It seems almost unlike you to just let something like that go without exacting punishment."

"If you ask me, working under Suigetsu is punishment enough for anyone." The red-haired girl added, earning a few snickers from her fellow elites. She joined in for a second before diverting her attention to the head of the room. "That being said, you would normally have sent Dosu's Team to the arena to participate in the Penalty Games."

Sasuke relaxed his shoulders, a glimmer of amusement shining through his dark eyes. "Knowing who they were fighting against, anyone can see that those clowns were outmatched from the very beginning. If Lee had taken them seriously, it would have been over before those three goons could even aim a punch."

She smirked at the thought. "Either you have a lot confidence in your former companions, or a very low opinion of your underlings…"

"You might say it's a mixture of both." He replied rationally, gently folding his hands in his lap as he spoke. "I still look forward to seeing how Suigetsu handles the current situation. Despite his unquenchable thirst for violence, he always knows how to make matters interesting for the rest of us. If he makes a mess of things, I'm confident that he can clean it up just as quickly."

"Wait, so you were actually hoping that he would volunteer for this job?" Karin cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "Didn't you believe that this mission would require a certain sense of subtlety? This isn't a quality that idiot is known for!"

His expression darkened considerably, although a sense of amusement could be seen behind his gaze. "Don't be so literal… Dosu's Team already ruined any chances we had of approaching this delicately the moment they caused a scene as the school. Now we go for the direct approach!"

The larger figure from earlier re-entered the conversation. "I see, so you plan to use Suigetsu as bait to lure our targets like moths to the flame. This will give him a chance to gauge their level of skill against someone who has strength, which will allow the rest of us to base our next move on the details we will learn."

"Devilishly clever… That does make a lot of sense now that you mention it." Karin added with an evil expression, gently pushing her spectacles back into place with her index finger.

Sasuke's face remained impassive, although he seemed relatively pleased that they had grasped the situation so quickly. "In the end it doesn't matter whether Suigetsu is successful or not in crushing the enemy. So long as he returns in one piece, I don't care what happens to him…"

Note to Readers: Seemed kind of uneventful, but here it is. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. As usual I'm sorry if there's a fair number of typos, or errors in spelling and grammar, but I usually write chapters for my stories late at night.

Still looking for some **REVIEWS**. Have any comments, ideas, questions, etc. Feel free to drop a line. I really love to hear some suggestions if anyone has any. If you liked anything in particular please feel free to comment… Also, if you have any predication I wouldn't mind hearing them. Stuff like that sometimes gives me ideas on the kind of material to include in future chapters.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Demon of the Blade**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

It was lunchtime at Kouryou High, and Naruto was still recovering from the previous day's training session. Granted Jiraiya had been a tough teacher in his own way, but Guy's exercises and drills we much more tiring for him. He turned in around midnight only to wake up six hours later and go to school, still feeling exhausted and sore in places he didn't know he had. Since the others were nowhere to be seen, he had decided to follow Sakura around for the time being. She had been hoping to eat lunch with Ino, but the blonde had gone off to check on the greenhouse, leaving her stuck with everyone's favorite knucklehead.

The pink-haired girl sat in the grass under a tree enjoying her bento with a pair of, her friend munching on a sandwich and a bag of chips. Although she found his slurping noises and serious lack of table manners annoying, she had long gotten used to hanging around with Naruto. The entire group of disciples had been training together for so long that they had all become really great friends. This was true even regarding the group's differences and frequent bickering, but living on top of each other in a house they were forced to build by hand had hammered out all of the complications.

"I heard from Shikamaru that you had some trouble last night. You wanna talk about it?"

Naruto shoved the remainder of his sandwich into his mouth and sucked down the remainder of his drink, forcing the entire load down with one gulp. "I've been through a lot worse, but it seems pretty safe to say that Master Guy is a complete psychopath. I don't know how Lee puts up with this stuff all the time."

"I always got the impression that he enjoyed it." Sakura replied with a smile. "Maybe you really don't have what it takes to be the best if you can't even keep up with bushy-brows."

"Anyone would be ready to drop after running a marathon with a ton of extra weight tired to their ankles. Not to mention he had me punching a wooden post for four hours straight once I finished the four hundred laps around Konoha." He grimaced at the thought. "It's like he doesn't have any interest in showing me any new techniques."

She sighed at his impatience, gently cradling her lunch in her lap. "Did it ever occur to you that he's trying to build up your stamina for the real training? You should have expected as much after watching Lee train with him on a daily basis."

The blonde boy leaned against the tree with a bored expression. "I just figured the top-ranking disciple wouldn't have to go through the initial stages of training all over again. The old pervert already put me through something similar when I first started learning from him, so I assumed Master Guy would just skip that part and teach me some moves instead."

"Each master has their own way of teaching." His friend explained bluntly, pausing to swallow a mouthful of rice. "Lady Tsunade had me walk around the city using the basic movements of the Northern Praying Mantis style just so I could memorize and apply the stance at any time."

"Oh yeah, I remember that! You spent days walking around with your fingers out, moving your arms up and down like someone had shoved a stick up your back." he recounted with a humorous expression and a tiny snicker. "It must've been a nightmare being seen in public with your wrists out and you hands in that freaky position."

While his insults would have normally put her in a bad mood, Sakura seemed strangely amused this time. "You can make fun at me if you want, but I'll be sure to keep that in mind for when it's your turn to practice with my master."

Naruto's next laugh came out as a cough when he realized what she was implying. "You don't think the old bat would really force me to walk around in public like that, do you? I mean, even Master Guy didn't force me to give him a piggyback around town where everyone could see." Imagining it in his head caused him to sweat drop.

"Maybe, maybe not… She only did it to me because I asked for her age. So I guess you're fine."

"Phew! Guess I don't have to worry after all" Naruto wiped his forehead with a sigh of relief.

The pink-haired girl's expression darkened humorously. "Although, I could Master Tsunade about all those nicknames you came up with." She mused out load, causing her friend to shiver slightly. "You know, stuff like granny, nasty bat, dairy cow, hag lady, old crow…"

"No, please don't!" Naruto waved his hands frantically, his eyes shrinking in fear. "You tell her about that and she'll make my training a hundred time worse than anything Master Guy did yesterday! I'll be forced to swim to the North Pole naked with an anvil on my back through shark-infested waters if she finds out about that."

She nudged her friend to stop his babbling. "Chill out, I was just kidding about that. Besides, I wouldn't wish Lady Tsunade's wrath on my worst enemy. It's probably safer to call Choji fat to his face when there's nothing around to hide behind."

He laughed at the thought before sitting down beside her. "I'll say… Remember that fight we got into at our old school with those punks. One of the big guys called him a fatso and ended up in the hospital with half of his teeth missing. He must've had a death wish!"

The two shared a laugh at the memory, despite how brutal it had been for the unfortunate victim. Although considering the fact that the gang members were trying to attack them at the time really limited their level of sympathy considerably. A few weeks ago they had been pretty bummed out over being expelled from school, but thinking back the disciples really didn't enjoy attending class there all that much. The clubs were very limited, the students rude, and the people were generally unpleasant. Despite the incident yesterday with Lee, this new school really seemed to have a more pleasant atmosphere.

Looking up from his place, Naruto relaxed against the tree and glanced around at other students eating their lunches with friends. They sat talking excitedly about a variety of things, most of them just biding their time and enjoying the brief moment of freedom until classes began again. Being a martial artist in training, the knuckle-headed fighter had a certain eye for observing his surroundings. Even from a quick glance, it seemed like everyone had a place except for them, due to being the new kids on campus. His eyes eventually settled on someone standing beside the front gate that appeared to be eating alone.

To his surprise, the person began walking towards them, prompting the fighter to alert his friend. "Hey Sakura, do you know who that is?"

The pink-haired girl tucked her chopsticks into the edge of her bento box before raising her head to look. "Nope, I've never met her before, although she does look vaguely familiar though." Sakura leaned in towards her friend and put a hand to her mouth.

Naruto nodded quickly before glancing back over his shoulder. "I was just wondering, since she seems to be heading over here."

"Even so, it's pretty rude to point and stare like that." She chastised him in a hurried whisper.

"Oh please, like you didn't stare at Lee the first time you saw his haircut?" he retorted quietly.

Sakura looked as if she had just been slapped in the face. "You idiot, that was a long time ago. Unlike you, some of us have actually learned some proper etiquette over the years."

The boy snickered again with a snarky expression. "Oh really, so now you're admitting you didn't have any manners when you were kid, right?"

Before either of them could resume the pointless argument, a third shadow fell over them, rendering both disciples speechless. They both looked up in surprise to see the person they had been talking about standing over them with a cheerful expression. Pretty and fair-skinned with long black hair that ran freely down the back, a slender frame, and large brown eyes. The newcomer's height and build was similar to Sakura if not a few inches shorter, and was garbed in a traditional pink kimono with a black choker wrapped around the neck area.

"Hello there…" The stranger smiled cheerfully, looking down on them with an innocent expression. "I'm sorry if I interrupted something, but I noticed you two were also eating alone and would like to ask if I could join you two for lunch?"

Naruto glanced over at his friend, waiting for her to nod her approval. "Sure, no problem! The more the merrier!" he replied gently shifting aside so that the person had a place to sit.

"It's a pleasure to meet you… I'm Sakura Haruno and this doofus is my friend Naruto." She greeted with a friendly smile. "Since your friends aren't around right now, we'd be happy if you would sit down and eat with us!"

Their new companion took a seat beside Sakura and cracked open a bento, gently poking the contents with a utensil. Overall the box lunch consisted of some neatly packed rice balls and a couple of rolls. It was nothing particularly fancy, although the small package looked freshly made and the presentation was quite a bit nicer than the one Sakura has prepared. Despite having asked to sit beside them only moments ago, the stranger ate quietly for several minutes and did not say anything during the duration; much to the surprise of his new companions, and after finishing the last piece of food simply wiped their mouth and tucked the container away.

Naruto exchanged confounded glances with his friend before turning back to the newcomer with a strange expression. He twiddled his thumbs for a second before breaking through the barrier of awkwardness. "So, uh… I don't recall you telling us your name, miss…"

"Oh my, I must have forgotten my manners." The mysterious visitor replied with a bow. "I'm Haku Yuki, although you two might know me as the student who sits in the last row to the far right of Fukujiro-sensei's homeroom class every first period."

"Fukujiro Yasunaga is our teacher too." Sakura thought out loud, her green eyes settling on the stranger carefully. "That would mean that we have the same class together every morning, although for some reason I don't recall seeing you around."

Naruto scratched his head and squinted his eyes. "I'm pretty sure I wouldn't forget a girl who looks as pretty as you, that's for sure! I'm almost willing to say you're cuter than Sakura…"

The pink-haired girl turned her had back towards their visitor and sighed. "Sorry about him, but he can be a little blunt with his opinions."

"Normally I would be grateful to receive a compliment from such a kind person, but there's one small problem…" Haku began with a calm expression, his tranquil smile belying his irritation. "I know you probably didn't mean any insult by what you said earlier, but I'm actually a boy."

"WHAT!" Naruto fell onto his back, bumping his head against the three with a loud thump.

He sat back up with a dizzy expression and waited for his vision to return to normal. Although Sakura had a much more reserved reaction, she also looked relatively shocked by this sudden revelation due to how feminine their new companion had appeared. Not only did Haku have a face prettier than most girls in their age group, he even spoke in a light feminine tone that lacked all traces of masculinity. After collecting themselves and calming down, both disciples looked deeply ashamed that they had mistakenly assumed someone's gender.

For Naruto it was worse, seeing how he had openly complimented another man's appearance, making it all the more embarrassing for him. Sakura was actually glad she hadn't opened her mouth, or else she probably would have messed up too. Haku's facial expressions remained inscrutable, although in spite of everything, they couldn't detect any angry vibes coming from the androgynous boy. If anything he looked more amused by their reactions than anything else. It was Sakura who recovered first.

"Um, we're really sorry about making assumptions like that." She apologized, nervously running a finger through her pink hair. "I hope you're not offended by anything he said."

Naruto fell to his knees, gritting his teeth with an embarrassed groan. "I'm really sorry about calling you a girl. Maybe we should start over again!" He looked up with a cheerful grin moments later and extended his hand. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

Haku accepted the gesture of kindness with a smile, glancing from one face to the other before shaking his hand. "I didn't mean to make you guys feel so guilty about the situation. Just figured it would be a good to warn you so it didn't happen again."

"I really hope we didn't insult you…" Sakura reiterated kindly, her smile wavering for a second as she glanced up. She tried to hold it in, but decided to speak up considering everything was out in the open anyway. "I probably shouldn't say this after all that, but a pink kimono with the floral pattern isn't exactly the kind of thing you would expect most men to wear."

"You mean this old thing?" the androgynous teen gave his shirt a small tug. "Normally I wear my hair up along with a standard boy's school uniform, this way people are less likely to make those kinds of misguided assumptions. Today all my uniforms were in the wash, in this was the only thing left in my closet."

The blonde-haired fighter nodded sternly as he imagined the boy in the mentioned outfit, his mind digging up a memory of yesterday morning. "Wait a minute!" A dawning realization hit his face as it all came back to him. "I remember now… You were that quiet dude sitting in the right corner way in the back of the classroom."

"Yes, I mentioned as much only minutes ago." Haku spoke kindly, a look of slight irritation gracing his feminine features. "While I would prefer to say otherwise, this wasn't the first time someone mistook me for a member of the opposite sex, and I doubt it will be the last."

"And that's why you prefer to wear the school uniform most of the time." Sakura deduced out loud, earning a nod from her new companion.

"In any case this isn't really something I wish to talk about. Since you both seem like nice people and we still have a few minutes before the period ends, perhaps we can get to know each other a little better before then." He paused for a moment, his eyes settling on the blonde teenager sitting across from him. "So Naruto, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?"

The boy grinned cheerfully and placed his hand behind his head. "My favorite food is ramen, my favorite color is orange… Oh yeah! You're also looking at the man who's gonna be the world's greatest fighter!" he pointed both thumbs at himself with a sense of pride.

Sakura let out a low groan. "Yeah that pretty much sums it up. Honestly there's not much more to him than that."

"C'mon Sakura, cut me some slack!" he pouted, his eyes narrowing in irritation.

"So, from your goal I would assume that you study the martial arts?" Haku interjected with a sense of genuine curiosity.

"You bet! I was recently made the number one disciple of Konoha!" Naruto replied excitedly.

The feminine boy suddenly looked much more interested, although his expression soon changed into one of confusion. "Pardon me, but what exactly did you mean by number one disciple."

"It means they deemed this idiot to be the disciple with the most potential." Sakura pointed with a slightly annoyed look. "It's really surprising for the rest of us at the dojo considering he slacks off and spends half of his time complaining about how hard it is to train."

Naruto frowned at her comment, but had long gotten used to her jibes. Instead he addressed their new companion. "The number one disciple gets the privilege of learning all the types of martial arts that Konoha offers, not just a single discipline. It's really awesome!"

"I see… It sounds like you really know what you're doing." Haku added with a pleasant nod.

"Hardly!" the pink-haired girl sniped with a blunt tone. "This knucklehead will be lucky to survive the first week. Especially since the dojo's toughest instructor is scheduled to train him this afternoon!"

"Nevertheless, the confidence your friend displays is certainly admirable." The androgynous student added kindly. "Like anything else, the martial arts require more than talent, but also the will to endure anything that stands in the way of your goal.

Naruto leaned forward suddenly. "It sounds like you know a little bit about fighting yourself."

Haku's eyes widened slightly, but he quickly worked his face into a neutral expression and shook his head. "I actually have no desire to learn the martial arts myself, so you needn't worry about having a new rival for the title of strongest." He chuckled slightly at the thought.

"Yeah, come to think of it, you don't look like the type anyway." The blonde boy responded, only to be nudged by his pink-haired friend. "Not that you couldn't if you put your mind to it!" He added in hastily.

"It's quite all right." The androgynous boy replied with a tranquil expression, his gaze wandering for a moment.

A silence fell between the trio as they finished off what was left of their lunches, Naruto sucking down the last few sips of his drink while Sakura finished the remains of her box lunch. Although they wanted to continue the conversation, the sound of the school bell quickly drew their focus away. Sakura put her eating utensils away and slung her book bag over shoulder, while her friend tossed his garbage into a trashcan and reached for his backpack. Haku simply stood up and dusted his pants off, his head bowing respectfully.

"It was good to meet you… I hope we can become really good friends." He smiled and waved before heading back towards the school.

Sakura looked relatively cheerful as the thought. "I'd really like that… It'll give me someone to talk to that isn't completely wrapped up in new fighting techniques."

"See ya later, buddy!" Naruto added enthusiastically as he returned the gesture.

With this, the two friends parted ways and headed to their respective classes. As they disappeared into the school building, a lanky, pointy-eared student with sharp features lost his balance and fell from a nearby tree. Haruo Nijima jumped back to a standing position and pulled a leaf out of his hair, looking quite disheveled from the last forty minutes of hiding out. Although he hadn't head anything particularly interest, he now had some specifics along with the name of the place these transfer students had come from.

The Shinpaku general reached into his pocket, relieved to find his PDA completely untouched by the recent fall. Despite having eavesdropped on martial artists, they hadn't become suspicious of his presence for even a second; such were the skills of the unscrupulous alien. Since most of the students were too busy heading back to class, Nijima crash landing had remained unnoticed by his peers. Before he could switch on his handheld, a student wearing a blue school uniform and military hat came running over. He had messy black hair, and carried a large banner bearing the words "Shinpaku Federation" in kanji.

"General Nijima, sir!" he sprung into a hasty salute. "Were you able to make any important discoveries concerning the current situation of the Shinpaku Alliance?"

Haruo raised a hand and smiled evilly. "No need for such formalities, Matsui. Right now we've got some important work to do! I need you to get word to the other soldiers and tell them to meet at headquarters today after school as soon as classes are over! Do you understand?"

"Sir, yes sir! I'll get on that right away!" Matsui slammed the end of his flag into the pavement and nodded sternly. "What about the officers and the combat divisions? Should I get the message out to Commander Shirahama and the captains too?"

"Just get going! I'll see to the others personally…" the demon-like boy responded, dismissing his subordinate with a wave of his hand.

Flicking on his handheld computer, Nijima threw together an e-mail and texted it to the phones of the alliance's best fighters. He had a strange feeling that some of them wouldn't show up, but since the majority of his team attended the same school, it certainly made getting a hold of them much easier. If all else failed he would simply harass them into compliance as usual, although the content of the message made the situation sound much more urgent than it actually was. If nothing else, he was confident that the turnout would be good.

"Another step towards world domination! Let the games begin!" Nijima screamed wildly, throwing his fists into the air. His actions caused several stragglers to inch away from him nervously. Ignoring their stares, he strutted past his fellow students and headed back to class.

Several Hours later…

Since classes were over and they had no interest in participating in extracurricular activities, Shikamaru and Choji had decided to head home. Lee had gone ahead with Naruto, while Sakura stayed behind to keep an eye on Ino. Ever since that attack the previous day, the disciple had agreed that traveling in pairs was probably the safest option. Some of them hadn't been so keen on the idea, although the resident genius hadn't given them much of a choice. People always said he was lazy, but when it came time to the dangerous stuff, he knew how to buckle down and handle the situation.

"It really sucks having to look over your shoulder every few seconds. I feel like this whole situation is driving me paranoid." He grumbled with a sleepy look.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Choji pocketed the empty bag of potato chips he had been munching on for the last few minutes. "I never thought we'd be in this kind of situation, especially considering we transferred schools to get away from gangs."

Shikamaru sighed with a bored look. "I don't know who these Team Hebi punks think they are, but they're definitely bad news."

His overweight friend looked concerned. "Hopefully that incident with Lee was just a one-time thing. He made it sound like that gang of thugs was recruiting, so we should be fine so long as we don't use our martial arts in public."

"I keep getting this strange feeling that there's something bigger going on." The resident genius grimaced at the idea before slapping his forehead angrily. "Damn! This whole mess is such a pain in the ass! We could've been regular kids for a change, but bushy-brows just had to join the karate club."

"Not to say it was a bad idea for us to travel in pairs, but don't you think it's a little excessive. I mean we have no proof that those thugs even know who the rest of us are. So far the only people they've seen are Lee and Ino."

Shikamaru returned to his normal, unshaken demeanor. "Maybe, but you can never be too careful. Knowing our luck, the enemy already knows who we are."

"I don't see why a bunch of thugs would be interested in learning more about us anyway."

"Call a sixth sense of mine." He answered in his usual monotone. "On top of that, we know for a fact that those recruiters were serious martial artists, not common delinquents. I'd be willing to bet my left leg that this is a highly organized gang we're dealing with, not a bunch of mindless goons carrying around hammers and sticks."

Choji rubbed a hand against his chin thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, Ino did mention those guys fought as a team despite using three different fighting styles. The way she described them, it sounded like they were specifically trained to coordinate their attacks as a group."

"That's exactly why we need to keep an eye out for trouble… And I… Oh, crap…" he finished with a dismal expression.

At this moment, Shikamaru's ears picked up the sound of approaching footsteps from several different directions, causing the genius to raise his guard. In a matter of seconds, Choji also sensed the disturbance and focused his senses on their surroundings. It didn't take them long to figure out that the streets had been too quiet to begin with, which only fueled their shared sense of danger. In less than a minute, several thugs had emerged from the surrounding alleyways, some carrying crowbars and knives, others barehanded, and some wearing brass knuckles.

The unruly mob consisted of at least twenty men of varying sizes and builds, each of whom was dressed in a simple gray outfit with black ninja-like masks covering their faces. Several of them wore snake-patterned scarves, and matching pants, which represented their membership of Team Hebi. Judging by the killing intent radiating from the enemy fighters, it was obvious that unlike Lee's fight, this was more than a chance encounter. It was clear that this ambush had been set up from the very beginning.

Shikamaru let out a low groan; his normally blank stare alive with dread. "Shit, I hate bring right." He complained before reluctantly raising his fists and turning on the enemy.

Although the enemy fighters prepared to strike, a lone figure stepped to the head of the crowd, his body concealed by a long black cloak. He raised a hand to the others, causing them to lower their weapons and stand by. From this gesture alone, Shikamaru could tell that the mystery man was the leader of the thugs, although his concern mostly came from the terrifying sense of bloodlust the man exuded. Judging by the wooden slung down his back, he could only guess that this new enemy specialized in armed combat.

"So, you care to tell me who sent you and what you want with us?" Shikamaru questioned with a wary expression, his body shifting into a fighting stance.

The hooded man pulled back his hood, revealing his light hair and oddly sharpened teeth. "Suigetsu Hozuki, one of the Six Demons of Team Hebi." He noticed the look of recognition that appeared on their faces and continued speaking. "Don't look at me like that… Your idiotic friends brought this down upon the rest of Konoha the moment they refused to cooperate."

"I'm Shikamaru Nara, and this is Choji Akimichi. Don't know why I'm wasting my breath to begin with. Seeing how you know about Konoha, it's a pretty safe to guess that you already knew who we are anyway."

"It's a pleasure to meet you even though you won't be around long enough to get to know me better." Suigetsu replied with a dark expression.

Reaching his hand back, he drew his sword from its sheath and swung the end down towards his prey with a single movement. Although he wasn't within striking distance, the motion hadn't been meant as an attack, but rather a signal to his underlings. As if driven by some invisible force, the small army sprung to life and charged forward, their leader disappearing into the blurring figures of the attacking mob as he moved away from the ensuing battle. Shikamaru struggled to catch sight of the sharp-toothed swordsman, but found himself forced back by the advancing thugs.

"That cowardly bastard…" he grumbled with an annoyed moan, his attention forcibly diverted to the more pressing situation. "Looks like we don't have much of a choice this time, huh Choji?" he commented glumly while, standing back-to-back with his friend.

"Yup, definitely looks like trouble." The overweight man replied before making a wide stance with his legs befitting his hefty stature before and bringing his hands into a defensive position. "Still, it's been a while since we've had a serious scrap. Let's show these delinquents what it means to be a real fighter."

The genius sighed again, looking more irritated than afraid of getting into a fight. "All right… If we have to do it, let's at least make it quick." He added, shifting his feet into the proper position.

Like a wave crashing against the beach, the mob surrounded from all sides and began their assault full force. A pair of fighters carrying wooden staffs advanced on Shikamaru in an attempt to strike him down, but he responded by shifting his stance back and forth, allowing him to instantly sidestep each of their strikes. Although the look only flickered across his face for a moment, the lazy genius seemed almost amused by their attempts to attack and continued bouncing back and forth on the balls of his feet before charging forward and unleashing a volley of punches so quick that they looked like a blur to his opponents.

"Man you guys are such a pain…" he replied with a bored expression before unleashing his fury on several unarmed opponents. "Crap, these people just keep coming at me in droves."

Meanwhile a man carrying a sledgehammer ran at Choji and swung at him, forcing the husky fighter to dodge. "C'mon fatass, try fighting back for a change!" the thug yelled as he raised his weapon to strike again.

The air went cold for a fraction of second, an angry fire burning in the larger man's eyes as he heard his opponent's insult. "What the Hell… Did you just call me?" he hissed, causing several of his attackers to freeze in fear.

"Oh man, he's totally going to freak out." Shikamaru moved a few yards away as he recognized the rage coming from his friend, knowing full well what it would inevitably lead to. "Those guys just made the biggest mistake of their lives."

"Yaaaaaaagh!" Choji let out a monstrous bellow, his powerful kick causing the man closest to him to pass out instantly. The others backed away cautiously, but their actions only incensed him further. "Which one of you bastards is next? Gimme somebody!"

The mob hesitated for a moment before charging to avenge their fallen comrade, but the hefty man's overweight exterior belied his true power. He was physically the strongest of the Konoha disciples, and known for possessing the most raw power out of the group. Despite Naruto's endless endurance and Lee's intense training regimen, neither of them possessed the same amount of immense physical strength that the Akimichi Clan was known for. When angered, the normally composed boy became an unstoppable juggernaut.

Holding his ground, Choji stood and waiting for the enemy, placing one fist and closing his eyes into the other in a meditative stance. His eyes shot open as soon as they came within range, his body reacting instantly to their presence. With his hands still linked, he slammed his left elbow into one man's stomach, sending him crashing backwards into his fellow thugs with amazing force. Another man came from behind, but the hefty fighter jabbed his arm into the attacker's midsection, using his opposite hand to shatter another man's jaw as the mod struck from the opposite direction.

Someone else tried to strike him in the face with crowbar, but Choji moved his head out of range by bending backwards and slammed the man by the arm, causing him to drop his weapon while doubling over in pain. Using the opportunity created by this opening, he placed his opposite hand behind the enemy's neck and drove him towards the ground face first, using his well-placed kick to disable another man with a knife that had lunged at him from the left side.

"Why do you think of fat guys now, you bunch of losers!" he screamed, placing a foot on top of one of his opponents and throwing his arms in the air victoriously.

Behind him, Shikamaru tossed a pair of men onto the pavement, prodding one of them with his foot to make sure they were unconscious. After punching out the remaining thug with a swift right hook, he crossed over to where his friend was standing. "Hey Choji…"

The heavyweight fighter let an insane scream and did a victory pose. "Raaargh! Chubbies rule! Grrr! Aaaaaarghh!" he screamed wildly, pumping his fists in a volley of punching motions.

Shikamaru let out an embarrassed groan before tapping his friend on the shoulder, causing the other man to strike out at him out of reflex. He sidestepped the blow although it hardly surprised him considering the state his friend was in. "Whoa, take it easy… It's just me."

"Oops, sorry about that buddy." The larger man replied with a slightly guilty expression. "Guess I'm still a little nuts after going all out on those guys."

"That's gotta be the understatement of the damn century." His friend sighed as he eyed the unconscious men lying on the sidewalk. "Oh man, it looks like you really overdid it this time. Those poor bastards didn't stand a chance once that idiot said the 'F' word in front of you."

Choji glanced around looking ashamed as he noticed a few teeth lying in the streets. "Guess I don't know my own strength… Maybe I should have held back like Lee did."

Shikamaru clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder with a serious expression. "Look, you did what you had to. Besides, when bushy-brows held back against these dudes he got clobbered. We had no idea how strong the enemy was, so we could've ended up laid out like this idiots if we hadn't taken this seriously."

The larger man's eyes moved over the defeated forms of his opponents a second time before he realized that something was terribly wrong. "Hey Shikamaru, do you know what happened to that shark-looking dude with the stick?"

"I saw the dude run off as soon as the battle started. Tried to follow him, but his twenty bodyguards were a pretty big distraction." He replied with a sour expression. "He was definitely the boss, and the only real link we had to finding out what's really going on with these Team Hebi dudes…"

Choji poked one of the unconscious thugs with his finger, before shaking his head. "You're right, it doesn't look like these guys are in any position to tell us anything right now."

The genius put his hands in his pockets and slumped his shoulders. "Not to mention that these brainless henchmen probably don't know what's going on either. Either way, I'm willing to bet their leader is long gone by now."

"We really oughta tell Naruto and the others about this when we get back to the dojo. Ino didn't want to believe it, but it turns out you may have been right about this mess turning into a bigger problem for us." The heavyset man scratched his head. "Should we tell the masters about this?"

"They've got more important things to worry about than a gang of thugs, but it takes a lot to pull the wool over their eyes. Since Lee came home covered in bruises they probably already know that something's up."

Choji raised his head and nodded in agreement. "You're probably right. In the meantime we should keep moving in case there's more guys waiting to jump us."

"Let's get going then…" Shikamaru turned and continued in the direction of Konoha, his friend following closely behind.

As they rounded and corner leaving the battlefield behind, the two fighters kept their ears open for any sign that they were being followed. It wasn't paranoia so much as caution, especially considering that over a dozen men had just jumped them only minutes ago. As they rounded a few more streets without incident, the disciples began to relax and a sense of normalcy returned. Little did they realize that their nemesis had been watching their every move, silently noting each of their movements and fighting techniques for future reference.

Suigetsu Hozuki sat on a nearby rooftop, his mouth twisting into an insane smirk. "Those guys have better moves than I thought. Maybe this could be interesting…" he mused out loud before reaching for the sword behind his back. "If I take them down now, it'll save some time later."

Before he could draw his weapon, a hand closed around his wrist, prevent him from moving his arm. The sword fighter broke free and spun around, leaping backwards aggressively to put some distance between him and his attacker. The newcomer was a man with a rather small, thin physique for a boy his age, the dark cloak hiding his face. Suigetsu's expression hardened as he recognized the figure standing behind him as the man who had refused this mission during last night's meeting. For this reason alone Suigetsu was surprised to see him, although this didn't erase his hatred for his colleague.

A look of mingled irritation and amusement lit up the swordsman's face as he stared down his fellow elite. "Well, what do we have here?" he asked with a cocky smile. "Yesterday you said you didn't want to be involved, and today you're butting your nose in and spoiling my fun. You're one confusing son of a bitch!"

"I have no interest in dealing with you, but our leader personally requested I deliver a message to you." The small man added in a calm, lighter tone.

"That prick put me in charge and now he wants to ruin my fun." The white-haired killer folded his arms with a sickening expression.

The cloaked figure shook his head, looking indignant at being in his presence. "Before I say anything, remember this wasn't my choice." He began with a note of irritation. "The Devil Fist has ordered that we of the Six Demons do not personally engage our targets until he gives his approval. Punishment will be severe if any of us refuse to obey."

Suigetsu looked as if someone had just told him Christmas was cancelled. "Damn him! One day I'll give that bastard what's been coming!"

"I wouldn't recommend doing that unless your desire is death." His colleague replied with an unshakable calm. "Sasuke Uchiha is the genius disciple of the Great Serpent God… None of us possess the same level of fighting abilities that he has acquired through the master's training."

"Whatever…" the shark-like man spat, his gaze hardening considerably. "He's still human just like the rest of us, no matter how much he likes thinking of himself as some kind of invincible devil."

"Since I have delivered the information there is no longer a reason for me to remain here any longer" The smaller man moved to the edge of the roof, his hooded cloak hiding a look of disgust. "You nauseate me." He commented before jumping several stories down. The boy landed gracefully on his feet and disappeared into a nearby alley with a sure-footed grace.

The Demon Swordsman fingered the handle of his weapon as he watched the other man depart, his sickening smile returning. "That bleeding heart really knows how to piss me off…"

Suigetsu jumped into the street, silently heading in the opposite direction of his teammate. As he began to leave, the bloodthirsty fighter began to wonder why his superior was being so cautious with these new targets. It seemed almost unlike the Uchiha to make such indecisive choices like this. Team Hebi had crushed even the most fearsome gangs before, but for some reason the boss was treating a bunch of High School kids differently. As he headed further down the street deep in thought, another figure had been watching him from the shadows.

Meanwhile…

The school bell had rung several minutes ago, and Haruo Nijima had already gathered his main group of soldiers in Kouryou High's chemistry lab. It was a large room with several long tables set up, and a series of computers along the wall for research and hacking, making it an ideal place to gather his subordinates during meetings. The room wasn't very impressive, but the Shinpaku Alliance regularly used it as their base of operations, especially after Loki and his Ragnarok thugs torched the abandoned building they were using a few months back.

Matsui, Kamioka, Mizunuma, and several of his henchmen were already stationed at their desks performing internet searches and helping monitor the alliance's website and informational network in their leader's stead. On the other side of the room, a few other henchmen were performing the Shinpaku salute while some of the more prominent members were already seated around the main table. Among them were Ukita, a large guy with sunglasses, and Takeda, a lean muscular man with light blue hair tied back.

"Yo alien, where the Hell is everyone else?" Ukita grumbled loudly from his seat, his hand smacking the table impatiently. "Some of us have places to get to and I left the freshman all alone at the Judo Club for this!"

His blue-haired friend patted his shoulder. "Easy there, big guy! We still have to weight for Kisara and Kenichi assuming those two decide to grace us with their presence today."

"He's quite right!" Nijima added with a devilish grin, his fang-like canine teeth showing. "The news I have for the Shinpaku Alliance may cause large ripples in the pool of destiny, so therefore we must all be here to bare witness to this important information!"

The large Judo fighter glanced around. "If it's so damn important, how come Thor and Siegfried didn't show up for this thing? Not to mention that bastard Tanimoto…"

Their self-proclaimed leader shrugged off the notion. "Siegfried's currently at an important event at his fancy music school and couldn't make it, Thor entered a big Sumo competition somewhere in Tokyo, and Hermit's just being an asshole as usual. Although several of the captains can't come today, I'm confident that the others will be here any minute."

Takeda let out a light-hearted chuckle. "C'mon Ukita, we all know you're just wondering about Kisara." He nudged the larger man jovially. "Why keep denying it?"

"H-Hey, that's got absolutely nothing to do with it!" his best friend shouted, a light flush swelling in his cheeks. "Like I said before, some of us have got other plans besides sitting here and listening to that pointy-eared freak ramble on about nothing!"

"Geez you big lug, I was only joking around. You really oughta play it cool next time."

As if on cue, the door to the room was kicked open by a heavy foot, revealing two more people in the hall. Standing in front was Kisara, closely followed by her personal assistant. She was a normal-sized girl with wild reddish hair, piercing green eyes with catlike pupils, a slim figure, and a rather small bust. She wore a short-sleeved red top with the word 'Valkyrie' written on the front, and a pair of jeans with the most of the of the left pant leg torn, revealing her heavily muscled thighs developed from his years of intense Taekwondo training. Behind her stood Shiratori, a lean built man with long wavy blonde hair, wearing a fancy blue suit.

"I wasn't in school today when you called and had to run halfway across town to get here. This had better be important." Kisara stepped into the room with a look of impatience. As her assistant took his place alongside the other Shinpaku grunts, she plopped into the seat across from Ukita. "So, where is everyone else anyway?"

"They all had stuff to do and Kenichi hasn't made it yet." Takeda mentioned with a look of boredom. "Guess that means it's just the four of us and the underlings today."

Ukita shrugged. "Sieg's cool, but his singing can get a little sickening sometimes. Even too much of a good thing can drive you nuts. Not to mention that Thor broke three chairs the last time he came to a meeting."

The redhead let out a spirited laugh, her eyes settling on the Judo fighter. "I wouldn't make fun of his bulk if I were you, and unlike pretty boy you couldn't carry a tune to save you life."

"Oh yeah, you wanna see me try!" Ukita stood up and opened his mouth only for his best friend to cup a hand over his face.

"Keep your dignity man, she's just pulling your leg." The boxer replied, with a humorous look.

The door opened again as Kenichi stepped into the meeting, looking much less enthusiastic about being there than the others. His presence caused the others to turn their attention to their assault leader as he sauntered across the room and sat beside Kisara, his gaze empty and zombie-like as he fell headfirst onto the table and began to sleep. The captains glanced at each other with signs of concern before turning back to the sleeping man, his snoring confirming that he hadn't just died on the desk.

Nijima chuckled deviously before pulling out a megaphone, positioning it right beside the boy's ear. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!" he screamed into the mouthpiece, causing everyone else to cover their ears as his victim leapt ten feet into the air.

"Yow! What on Earth was that for, you idiot?" the brown-haired disciple screamed, smacking the bullhorn out of his hands, causing the device to break as it hit the floor.

"Oops! Looks like you owe me money for a new megaphone, pal!" the point-eared man laughed. "And here I was just trying to wake you up like any good friend would so you wouldn't miss the important information we were about to discuss!"

Kenichi seized him by the front of his shirt and shook him wildly. "More like you were trying to make me lose my sense of hearing! You could deafened me by doing that so close to my ear!"

Kisara leaned forward, looking slightly concerned by the bags under his eyes and the larger number of bruises covering his body. "Hey kiddo, you look like someone ran you over with a steam roller and then hung you out to dry on a clothesline."

"She's not lying." Takada agreed with a friendly smile, using his left hand to remove the blade of grass in his mouth. "We're all friend's here, tell us what's up and maybe we can help."

Ryozanpaku's disciple looked suddenly embarrassed as he dropped the alien's disoriented form and sat back down, a small drop of sweat dripping out of sheer awkwardness. "It's nothing… I spent all last night doing some intense training on one of Akisame's machines, and I didn't go to bed until around three in the morning. I've barely been able to keep myself awake all day, and Apachai's waiting back at the dojo for another session."

The blue-haired fighter let out a pleasant laugh. "That's our boy, almost killing himself for the sake of getting stronger."

"No need to look at us like that… I gotta be the only guy around here he doesn't kill himself training." Ukita added with a look of embarrassment.

"You always had a lot of guts, Shirahama. I respect that!" Kisara agreed with a cat-like smirk, gently resting her check on her hand in a relaxed manner.

"Thanks a lot guys! At least someone other than Miu gives me credit." Kenichi smiled back at his buddies, rubbing the back of his head gently.

The group's lone female nodded once, her gaze hardening as if shifted towards the boy on the floor. "Hey, demon boy! You said this meeting was some kind of emergency! Care to explain why you dragged us all the way here after school?"

Nijima popped back up instantly, looking as if he hadn't been pushed down to begin with. "I'm glad you asked!" he shouted enthusiastically, his eyes moving towards the surface of his PDA. "As it turns out, I've compiled some interesting information about some the recent activities going on right under our noses, and it's all thanks to that little incident yesterday between Kenichi and those transfer students!"

Ukita glanced at the young disciple before turning back to their so-called boss. "I heard some interesting rumors that some new guy singled-handed destroyed the entire karate club. Does this have anything to do with that?"

"In a way, you might say that." The pointy-eared menace began maddeningly. "As it turned out, yours truly was a witness to the entire event. A new kid who tried to join the Karate Club was bullied by the members and returned the favor by beating them senseless!"

"So a bunch of weaklings got their butts kicked. How does this crap have anything to do with the rest of us?" Kisara burst out impatiently, her foot rhythmically tapping against the floor.

Nijima's amusement seemed to grow and he went over the events in his mind. "Shortly after that, three thugs came from out of the blue and beat the poor sucker to a pulp, only to be rescued by our own commander Shirahama and a new member of the Gardening Club!"

"Sounds like some of these transfer students can really kick butt." Takeda commented, his focus shifting to the brown-haired fighter. "Apparently you were also involved in this little scrap. So how did this whole mess start and why did you jump into it?"

Ryozanpaku's disciple straightened up. "Izumi and I were just welcoming a new girl named Ino Yamanaka into our club when we all saw three people attacking someone outside the school. I was a little shocked when Ino ran off to help and went after her in case things didn't work out so well. It turns out the victim was a friend of hers, so we were forced to fight them."

Ukita sighed impatiently. "Just get to the important part! Tell us about the actual fight… I mean, did these new kids have any good moves, or were they just garden variety street trash?"

"The three fighters that jumped us were definitely too skilled to have been random thugs. They fought by coordinating three different styles of martial arts and using a triangle formation. Even worse, they seemed to know who I was before I even introduced myself." Kenichi paused, looking slightly distraught. "I managed to knock them out, but it was actually pretty scary…"

"And what about the others?" Nijima pressed, his evil grin widening considerably.

"Ino used a form of Chinese Martial Arts to disable one our attackers. Both she and her friend claimed to be disciple of a dojo known as Konoha. I asked my masters about the place and they told me it was an elite martial arts school for fighters with a strong martial arts lineage in their families. Even the elder claims that the master of Konoha managed to give him a hard time when they fought years ago."

While the others took a moment to let this sink in, Haruo Nijima began typing everything into his handheld computer with renewed vigor. "So, basically you're saying that we could be in for some major competition in the world of martial arts. Very good deduction, but it doesn't sound like we need to worry too much about your gardening club friend and her little buddies."

"Then what the Hell is this meeting about?" Kisara beckoned maddeningly, her impatience rushing back to the surface.

Ukita seized him by the front of his shirt." Quit wasting our time and just get on with it!"

"I was just getting to that!" the alien squealed as he wriggled free from the larger man's grip, casually flattening the wrinkles out with his hand. He brought a new file up on his PDA for reference before he addressed the group. "Ladies and gentleman of the Shinpaku Alliance, this is a dark day indeed! A new gang has emerged in our territory known as Team Hebi, and if we don't so something quickly, they will do doubt overrun us all!"

Takeda shrugged with a bored expression. "I've heard of these dudes… They're nothing but a bunch of common thugs looking for trouble."

"It's nothing we can't handle." His larger friend agreed with a confident gesture.

"You people are so naïve!" Nijima dismissed their perspectives with a posh gesture. "That incident with those three miscreants yesterday struck me as odd, so I did some digging and found out some interesting things about them."

Kenichi knew he was probably going to regret asking, but decided to anyway. "Like what?"

The demonic-looking student waved his forked tongue out sinisterly. "Their names were Dosu Kinuta, Zaku Abumi, and Kin Tsuchi, and they happen to be enforcers for Team Hebi. According to intelligence my spy network discovered, that trio happened to be the recruiters for the gang, meaning they seek out strong fighters and get them to join!"

Kisara looked completely undaunted. "Big deal, so they basically go around picking fights with other people. Since they got their butts kicked, I don't see why it's suddenly our problem."

"You didn't let me finish, woman!" Nijima screamed, earning him a glare from the redhead. "By looking into recent reports from my informants around the city, I learned that this new gang had been taking down all the small fry that were in hiding during Ragnarok's reign. Now that we know they were looking for Kenichi, it's very clear that the enemy has their eyes on the Shinpaku Alliance as well!"

"That actually does make some kind of sense." Takeda's gaze wandered for a moment, his smile reappearing almost instantly. "Lucky for me I was starting to get bored with all this peace! Looks like the rest of us could be in for some major fights!"

Kisara smiled with a sense of anticipation behind her calm demeanor. "I've been enduring some Hellish training with Freya for the last few months. It's about time we got some real action so that I can test the results of my labors!"

Behind them, several of the unranked members began doing the Shinpaku salute, holding their fists towards their chest and opening their hands outwards in a Nazi-like fashion. Ukita straightened his sunglasses with a look of interest, while Nijima began chanting wildly alongside his army of subordinates. Kenichi looked much less enthusiastic about he sudden news.

"Wait a minute, guys!" he called out, drawing their attention back onto himself while silencing the chanting minions. The boy stood up, slamming both hands down on the desk with excessive force to assert his authority. "Do we even know what we're up against here?"

"Despite being a party pooper, Kenichi actually has a good point." Nijima mused out loud.

Ukita paused before scratching behind his ear. "Speaking of which, how much do you know about these people so far?"

The question had a sobering affect on their alien-like leader, his glee replaced by a sense of deep uncertainty. He opened another file on his terminal before presenting his research to the other officers. "According to my recent findings, Team Hebi is led by a group of seven major fighters who specialize in different styles of combat. To date, these powerful killers have supposedly never been defeated… They call them the Six Demons of Team Hebi!"

"Sounds like a rip of the Eight Deadly Fists!" Kisara added dismissively, her frown deepening.

Kenichi swallowed the lump that had begun to form in his throat. "And the seventh?" he asked cautiously.

"The boss is known in the underworld as the Immortal Devil Fist!" Nijima answered, his voice growing low and ominous. "Despite being the leader of this gang, they say he fights with the ferocity of a monster has never been injured by an opponent! Even the Six Demons don't question his will, for his strength dwarfs that of friend and foe alike!"

Kisara resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Don't you think you're laying on a little thick, alien?"

"Hey Kenichi! You okay?" Takeda waved a hand in front of the boy's pale face to see if he was all right, punching him in the stomach when he didn't respond.

"Oof! Thanks for that… I guess I got a little bit panicked for a second." The brown-haired disciple replied, gently nursing his sore mid-section. He turned to their self-proclaimed leader. "Do you know anything about these people, like who they are or what kind of martial arts they use in a fight?"

The devilish student switched off his PDA. "Nope, unfortunately any specifics like photographs and personal information haven't been easy to come by this time. These people are pretty big when it comes time to secrecy, and although there are plenty of rumors floating around, it'll take even my genius some time to sort out the fact from the fiction."

"So what do we do in the meantime?" Ukita asked, an arched eyebrow visible over his eyewear.

"Just keep your eyes and ears open in case these people come looking for trouble, and I'll get the news out to Siegfried and the others. The last thing we need is to be caught off guard by these hooligans!" he answered with a serious expression. "Shinpaku Alliance… MOVE OUT!"

Meanwhile…

Suigetsu continued his stroll down the street, quietly wondering what had been running through the mind of his superior. Sasuke Uchiha was an interesting and affective leader, but his actions sometimes confused the sharp-toothed swordsman. Due to his emotionless mannerisms and cold personality, the boy had always been difficult to read, even after two years of working alongside him in Team Hebi. Of course this also extended to the Devil Fist's master, the legendary Serpent God who acted as the true mastermind and leader of Team Hebi. At times like this, Suigetsu began wondering if he would ever truly understand the thoughts of those who stood above him.

As he walked down another street, a lone figure sat leaning against a pole as if they were waiting for him, causing the white-haired fighter to tense up slightly. The man wore a dark cloak with a white lining and a form fitting martial arts outfit in a dark grayish blue color underneath. Brown leather armbands and boots covered his arms and feet, and he wore a pair of black fighting gloves with white pentagram symbols emblazoned on the back with similar designs on the shoulders of his shroud.

The figure turned towards him and began walking towards Suigetsu, causing the swordsman to draw his weapon. He was surprised for a moment when the person simply walked past him, but his apprehension returned when the other man's footsteps stopped. Standing only a few feet from each other, the two cloaked men looked as though they were frozen with their backs facing one another, and for several seconds neither person moved.

"I saw what you did back there…" the mysterious man commented, his voice carrying a note of aggression. "Those cronies laid out on the pavement a few blocks east belong to you."

Suigetsu smiled at the man's audacity, looking entertained. "If you know that, then why would you approach me so carelessly? Turning you back on a potential enemy can be dangerous, if you know what I mean?"

Before he could say anything else, the other man spun around and struck out at the shark-like fighter, but Suigetsu had already anticipated such an assault and thrust his wooden blade over his should to parry the strike, not even bothering to turn his head in the process. The two combatants broke the deadlock by leaping away, both turned to face the other face-to-face once they were several yards apart. The swordsman took a fighting stance and removed his cloak, although he was surprised to find that his enemy had not.

"What's the deal, I thought you wanted to take me on." Suigetsu asked with an irritated look. "Don't tell me you changed your mind already."

"I'm more interested to know who you are, and who sent you?" the mystery man replied.

The swordsman spit on the street, looking bored. "What's with you people and introductions?"

His new opponent smiled. "You're with Team Hebi, aren't you? I'm guessing you must be one of the Six Demons I've heard so much about. What would someone like you possibly want around here? Answer me, damn it!"

Suigetsu's face twisted into an unamused smile. "Well aren't you a genuine smartass, figuring out all that by yourself. They call me the Demon Swordsman—Suigetsu Hozuki!"

"Really, I was wondering why you came here, but seeing that ugly mug of yours just pisses me off. I didn't come here looking for a fight, but if you won't tell me what's going on around here, then I guess I'll just have to beat the answers out of you!"

"You know something? You've got a big mouth!" the shark-like man commented with a bloodthirsty expression, pointing the end of his wooden sword at the other fighter. "Why not tell me who you are, kid? This way they know what to put on the marker when I bury you!"

The opposing fighter removed his hood revealing light chin-length blonde hair and dark purplish blue eyes, his pupils small and fearsome like those of an angry cat. The wind tousled his hair as he took a stance, preparing for the fight that was to come. He thrust one hand out towards the enemy fighter, raising his opposite hand in a wide arc in the opposite direction, his head facing towards the swordsman while his body shifted into a sideways standing position.

"Since you seem so intent on picking a fight, I won't disappoint. Let's just hope you last long enough to keep me entertained." Natsu Tanimoto replied, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "If you need to tell someone who kicked your ass, just say it was a favor from Hermit!"

A look or recognition appeared on Suigetsu's face as he heard this last part, his desire to fight only growing. "Hermit, eh? Who would have thought that I would end up fighting one of the former Fists of Ragnarok so soon! Maybe this could be interesting after all!"

Tanimoto stepped forward aggressively, his own face displaying signs of anticipation. "Enough wasting my time… Bring it on, you hideous freak!"

Note to Readers: This earlier than usual update is thanks to those who reviewed! Keep it up guys, it helps motivate me to write more for this story!

Another one down… I left a lot in here that may come into play in the future, but for now the battle of the day is between Hermit and Suigetsu. You also saw Choji's fighting style, a variation of Chinese Hun Gar. Shikamaru's is a version of Boxing and a touch of American Kickboxing. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. As usual I'm sorry if there's a fair number of typos, or errors in spelling and grammar, but I usually write chapters for my stories late at night.

**REVIEW** if you get the chance! I really love to hear some suggestions if anyone has any. If you liked anything in particular please feel free to comment… Also, if you have any guesses or predications as to what will happen next, I would also love to hear them. These kinds of things are usually helpful to me and may give me some ideas for future chapters.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Power of Team Hebi! **

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

Tanimoto stepped forward aggressively, his own face displaying signs of anticipation. "Enough wasting my time… Bring it on, you hideous freak!"

Despite facing off with a former member of the Eight Deadly Fists, the man seemed to be more entertained than nervous. He let out a small hiss before, comfortably resting his weapon against his shoulder. "Since you seem so keen to die, I'll smash your head and make it quick!"

"I'd like to see you try!" the Kenpo disciple shouted, his legs propelling him forward to attack.

Suigetsu charged with equal ferocity, swinging the end of his wooden blade in a vertical slash in an attempt to shatter his opponent's skull. Those who knew him best would probably consider this his signature move, considering how often he would use it to end the lives of his underlings for failing a mission. Tanimoto saw it coming and used the stepping method to pivot to the side, thrusting his hand forward with incredibly speed in an attempt to strike the swordsman's jugular. The enemy foresaw this attack and adjusted the angle of his wrist to position his weapon horizontally, using it to hold back his fist.

The former Ragnarok fighter curled his opposite hand into a fist and aimed a fast punch to his adversary's mid-section, pushing down with his opposite hand against the wooden blade to prevent Suigetsu from using the weapon to parry him a second time. Unfortunately, the opponent caught sight of this and countered by seizing his enemy's fingers with his free hand to stop the attack, while smashing his own head into Tanimoto's face. The force of Suigetsu's skull knocked the other man backwards, allowing him to swing his sword again, but the Kenpo-user shook his head clear and ducked underneath the attack, aiming a low-kick to the armed man's kneecaps.

"Oh shit!" Suigetsu as he leapt away, barely avoiding what could have been a dangerous injury. He knew that losing mobility due to joint damage could adversely affect the outcome of a fight, although when they both paused for a second, he burst out laughing.

"What the Hell do you find so funny?" Hermit glared at his enemy, his eyes burning with dislike.

The Demon Swordsman's expression shifted again, revealing a sense of malice. "Not bad, you cheeky little bastard! It looks like I might have severely underestimated you!"

"You keep doing that, and this fight's not going to last much longer." The blonde fighter retaliated, his look of anticipation growing. "My master always taught me that someone stupid enough to let their guard down against an opponent deserves death. Now are you going to take this seriously, or do I have to teach you this lesson the hard way?"

"If I kill you too quickly, it'll spoil my fun… You wouldn't want that, would you?" his expression dropped, but upon feeling the other man's powerful killing intent, he decided to humor him. Suigetsu shrugged with a blank expression, his face shifting into an evil smile moments later. "All right, if that's the way you want it, I guess you give me no choice."

Tanimoto raised his arms and shifted his feet. "Go ahead and show me your worst, and I'll show you how it feels to be completely outclassed!"

Suigetsu smirked menacingly before rushing his enemy at full speed, swinging and slashing his weapon in an erratic manner. Hermit tried to counter by meeting him head-on like last time, but was thrown off by the much faster speed of his attacks and forced to adjust his stance repeatedly just to avoid a sever beating. The swordsman saw that his techniques were not connecting and followed up by advancing forward while thrusting the end of his weapon forward in an attempt to hit vital points, but the Kenpo user avoided it by stepped backwards with a series of quick skips and leaps.

"Damn, you're fast!" the blonde fighter cursed, a bead of sweat dripping down his brow as he tried to put some distance between them.

The enemy continued his assault in a frenzied manner, his eyes alive with malice. "Where's all your tough talk now, kid? Did you lose your nerve all of a sudden or are you just that weak?"

Tanimoto hissed angrily as he continued dodging, knowing that he probably couldn't keep doing it for much longer. To make matters worse, his opponent's strikes were so quick and precise that he was unable to figure out how to counter attack, nor could he see any openings large enough to exploit. Suigetsu noticed the boy's movements slowing down and changed his attack pattern by moving the blade from one hand to the other, the sudden change in his movement throwing his opponent off completely.

"What the…" the blonde-boy's eyes move down, his slowed reactions rendering him unable to block or fully dodge the strike.

The swordsman thrust the end of the weapon forward again, this time nailing Hermit in his midsection with the force of a hammer. Although the wooden kendo blade had a wide end and no lethal point, a popping noise could be heard, indicating that one of his ribs had broken. The pain of the strike caused his opponent to double over in pain, allowing Suigetsu to move in closer for the deathblow. He grasped the end of his weapon with both hands and brought it down on his opponent with full force, only to hit thin air.

Despite being wounded, the Kenpo user had dropped onto the ground to avoid what might have been a lethal blow. The enemy raised a leg to kick him, but Hermit had experienced a similar scenario in his battle with Ragnarok's Berserker, and responded by rolling sideways onto his stomach, dodging the attack and moving himself into a better position with one movement. He propelled himself upwards by pushing off from the concrete with his hands, spinning his body around and kicking Suigetsu in the ankle with enough force to throw the other man off balance.

"Damn it, you bastard!" the shark-like fighter felt his body falling backwards and managed to stop himself mid-fall, only to realize that he had lowered his guard.

Tanimoto had taken the second to return to his feet and responded by nailing the swordsman with several fast-paced punches, finishing the combo by straightening his fingers and smashing the side of his hand into the enemy's neck. Suigetsu let out a strangled cry as his form hit the pavement, but his intense training allowed him to resist the pain in his side long enough to maneuver his body around by flipping over onto his hands and landing back on his feet. He reached down and retrieved his sword before staring down his opponent.

"It's been a while since anyone's been able to push me like this… I'm actually impressed." He replied with a pained wince, his angry glare changing into a look of interest. "Looks like I might have to kick things up another notch, or you might actually be able to beat me."

Hermit realized he was nursing the spot where his rib had broke and stopped, not wanting to show weakness in front of an enemy. "So, you still haven't been putting in your full efforts. I already warned you what would happen if you didn't… Even with that weapon, you're still not strong enough to take me on!"

"I'm a master of the blade who sees this object as an extension of myself! To fight me is to face the power of my weapon as well." Suigetsu held out his wooden sword horizontally in front of himself and smiled with a strong sense of pride. "I've trained extensively in European Fencing, English Quarterstaff, Japanese Kendo, and Filipino Eskrima while under the tutelage of my brother, Mangetsu Hozuki!"

Natsu Tanimoto looked a little surprised for a minute, before putting the pieces together in his mind, although he remained cool and composed as usual. "No wonder your last name sounded kind of familiar. Who would have thought that you were the younger brother of the man considered to be the greatest master of blades. Here I thought you were just a piece of trash who knew how to swing a stick."

"My older brother is the strongest swordsman, and one of the world's most powerful weapons masters to ever live. A piece of shit like you couldn't possibly comprehend the kind of training I endured under him to get to the level where I am now!"

Hermit's glare intensified as an image of his own master flashed through his mind. He remembered the long days of hard training and intense sparring session, his body aching as he recalled the pain and humiliation his master often liked to inflict on him during their sessions. It was for these reasons that he considered Sougetsu Ma to be the perfect martial artist. He was a ruthless, merciless man who saw the world as his enemy and equipped himself to face it head on no matter what it took or how many people had to die. Tanimoto had learned himself at a young age that a peaceful life was often not possible for someone who walked his path.

He nodded once with a resolute expression, his cold gaze settling on the opponent. "Believe it or not, I know exactly what you were thinking… That's also why I won't lose to you or anyone else!" he raised his arms again and faced the other man. "Are you ready to finish this?"

Suigetsu looked suddenly irritated, his cocky demeanor having evaporated. He wrapped both hands around the hilt of his weapon and took a stance. "I'm through messing around! Now you'll see for yourself the true ferocity of the Hozuki fighting style."

"It's about time…" Hermit replied hoarsely, his light-colored eyes narrowing dangerously.

Suigetsu slashed his weapon with both hands this time, forcing his opponent to dodge to avoid being killed by the blow. As Tanimoto spun to face the swordsman, he realized that the tree he had been standing in front of moments ago was missing a large piece of its trunk. He shielded his eyes as a shower of splinters spewed from the impact, a feeling of dread coursing through his stomach as his opponent advanced on him again. He realized clearly now the difference in power between using one hand of both to wield a sword and was fairly impressed by the display.

The swordsman lowered his weapon and turned on his adversary. "Scared yet, pretty boy!"

"Not even close!" Tanimoto shot back defiantly.

"Oh… I promise that before this battle is over, you will be!" he answered with a ruthless leer infinitely more terrifying than his cocky smiles from earlier.

The weapon user let out a dark laugh as he shot forward with blinding speed, his sword swinging with even greater power and speed than before. Hermit recognized the movement from before and dodged again, once again forced on the defensive like he had been during the last part of their fight. It was a lot like his fight with Kenichi, except this man consistently performed amazing feats of power and speed without any signs of tiring. He had never seen an opponent before who could continually and limitlessly expend energy without even showing signs of fatigue, and began to wonder exactly what kind of training the enemy had really endured.

"What's the matter? Are you so busy dodging that you can't even attack me?" Suigetsu asked mockingly, looking like he was enjoying the battle once more.

"You're getting cocky again!" Hermit added dismissively, his annoyance growing.

The blonde boy dodged a few more swings before his mind picked up on something important. Although the kendo stance provided the enemy's sword with more power and speed, it also deprived him of the same level of versatility that he had possessed before. Even though he could strike harder with each movement, using two hands also meant that he lost the use of one, which basically limited the advantage he had gained so that the odds were roughly the same. Figuring it out, he watched carefully and struck him in the chest with a palm strike.

Suigetsu grunted and did a small jump to avoid a low kick aimed at his legs, but instead received a strike to his right arm. He performed a series of kendo swings, but the enemy raised both arms in the air to block a vertical slash from above. Although the shark-like weapon user tried to push down and break the opponent's guard, Tanimoto used the leverage against him and forced the weapon into an upward position, creating another opening. He charged in and thrust both fists forward with all the strength his could muster, but Suigetsu took one hand off of his hilt and used his left arm to absorb the impact, causing him to slide backwards across the street.

"I've seen your bag of tricks… You won't be able to surprise me again." Hermit commented.

The swordsman commented dismissively, choking back a surge of pain as his left arm came close to giving out. He swallowed the agony and forced his arm to move with some difficultly. "And you were telling me not to get overconfident. Don't think you've won after seeing only a fraction of my abilities!"

He stomped forward and began with several kendo style swings, but his attacks moved more slowly due to his injured arm. This prompted the Kenpo user to strike out with his fist, but the swordsman knew he would go for it and quickly changed his movements again by removing his left hand and swinging the blade with only his good hand, his right hand possessing a different kind of swing than when he used both arms.

Having adjusted to the previous flow, Hermit was caught off guard as the next swing came in faster but with less power. Suigetsu struck him in the side before using his injured weaker arm to punch his adversary in the face, finishing his combo by smacking wooden sword into Tanimoto's right knee with a horizontal slice. His victim doubled over in pain and stumbled backwards, barely managing to avoid the next hit as the weapons user brought the end of his weapon down from above.

Hermit pulled his neck back, the stick barely grazing his forehead. "A millimeter more and I would have been dead!" Just then, the pain in his ribs returned due to having taken a powerful hit to the side only moments ago. "Oh shit… Not now!"

"You may not be dead yet, but you may as well be the rate this is going…" Suigetsu brought his sword to rest on his right shoulder, his mouth twisting into a smile as his enemy fell on one knee. "Doesn't look like you can keep this up much longer, and I've got no interest in fighting someone who can't keep going. This is my last offer… Lie down and I'll make your end nice and quick."

"Is that the best you can do? Achieving victory and coming close are two entirely different things." Tanimoto hissed as he stood back up, casually popping his knee back into place with a nasty glare. "Your attack might have stung, but you can't honestly call that joke a death blow! It's about time I show you what a real finishing attack feels like!"

"See you in Hell, you stupid fuck!" The swordsman shouted angrily, his eyes blazing with a sinister fire.

Suigetsu struck again, with both hands on the hilt of his weapon before changing back to one hand again, but the opponent adjusted his movement to follow the human reflex. Tanimoto was actually disappointed that his enemy had tried the same trick a second time and shunted sideways to avoid it. The weapon-user tried to catch him off guard by switching to his left hand, but Hermit knew his arm was injured and instead of dodging, he waited for the swordsman to use both hands to complete the swing.

Having predicted correctly, Hermit sidestepped the lunging movement with some difficultly and shot past the other man's guard, this time nailing him with a direct palm strike to his heart area. Suigetsu gasped as he recoiled in pain only to be smashed in the face with the Kenpo user's knee. He added a second hand strike to the throat, causing the enemy to stumble while giving him the opportunity to shoot past him. Tanimoto finished the attack by jabbing his left elbow behind his back, the blow smashing his opponent in the rear of the skull pushing him face first onto the pavement.

Hermit turned and observed the grounded enemy as he walked over to his opponent's defeated form, realizing how difficult it was just to move his body with so many serious injuries. Choking back the urge to collapse, he forced his legs to shuffle forward until he was standing beside the fallen man, his foot kicking away the discarded blade as he saw the other man's hand inching towards it. He brought his shoe down on top of Suigetsu's wrist, pushing down with excessive force eliciting an enraged growl from the weapons-user.

"Looks like I win…" Tanimoto stated bluntly, his gaze just as pitiless as before. He reached down and pulled the other man to eye-level, giving him a rough shake. "Now that we're finished with that, I want you to answer my questions!"

The Demon Swordsman looked as though he would have liked nothing more than to strangle his adversary, but realizing he was in no condition to move, he sufficed with a sigh. "I'm surprised you actually beat me, but it doesn't look like you'll be standing for much longer."

"What is Team Hebi planning? What do you hope to accomplish? Why is one of the Six Demons skulking around in this neighborhood? I want some straight answers!"

"Easy there, princess…" Suigetsu replied with a humorous expression, despite his defenseless position. "The Devil Fist took an interest in recruiting more fighters for Team Hebi. He had his eye on the Shinpaku Alliance as possible candidates to bolster our ranks, and heard that Kouryou High School was a hotspot for tough fighters!"

Hermit considered him for a second before speaking up again. "That could explain that incident yesterday with Kenichi Shirahama." He paused before shaking his hostage again. "Tell me where Team Hebi's main hideout is! Where is the Devil Fist holding up and how can I find him?"

The swordsman raised a lightly colored eyebrow before laughing, his expression becoming more serious a moment later. "I get it now, you wanna fight the boss… What an idiot! The Devil Fist's strength is unmatched! If you barely beat me, the boss would kill you in less than a minute! If I told you anything, he'd kill me too."

"If I were in your position, I'd be more focused on the more immediate threat!" the Kenpo user threw him onto the concrete, his anger evaporating slightly to reveal a neutral expression. "Looks like you're pretty serious though about this guy. It would serve you right if he finished you off."

Suigetsu coughed. "I told you the job was the recruit new members… What do you say, Hermit? Why don't you ditch the Shinpaku Alliance and join up with Team Hebi!"

"Don't lump me in with those idiots… I'm not one of them." Tanimoto's expression remained indifferent, not even bothering to look back at his enemy as he limped away. "I had no interest in joining them, and I have no interest in joining you. Tell the Devil Fist he can take his offer and shove it!"

"I hope you won't live to regret it…" the swordsman replied with a vindictive expression, his eyes rolling back moments later as he passed out.

With a noticeable limp, Hermit continued on his way at a considerably slower pace, his body feeling as if it was ready to give out underneath him at any second. He bent down and retrieved the enemy's wooden sword, using it as a walking stick to support his body weight as he struggled to return to his home. It would take some time in his current condition, but he had some medical supplies at home and some basic knowledge of treating broken bones and simple wounds. Due to his mistrust of doctors and aptitude for fighting, it was an essential to be prepared.

As he departed the scene, a small hooded figure leapt down from a nearby rooftop, shaking his head disapprovingly at Suigetsu's unconscious body before hoisting the larger man over his shoulder. Despite his smaller size, he possessed incredible physical strength. He had warned the Demon Swordsman not to get carried away, and also delivered the order not to directly engage the targets. The Devil Fist was bound to be upset upon their return…

Meanwhile…

"There are a few rules you need to know as my new apprentice." Anko began, her face becoming suddenly serious. "Rule Number 1- You do whatever I say; Rule Number 2- Don't sneak up behind me unless you wanna die; Rule Number 3- Touch my dango and lose your fingers!"

"I got it!" Naruto cringed slightly in the presence of his new instructor, looking slightly shaken due to their last encounter.

The woman allowed her shoulders to relax before clapping her hands together. "All right kid… Now that we've got that settled, let's see if you can show me the first position!"

Anko was not only known for being the youngest master of Konoha, but also one of the toughest when it came time to teaching disciples. Despite her hyperactive and cheerful demeanor, she was also quite merciless and lacked any sense of pity, traits that Ino had been sure to warn him about. While Guy was known for being a very brutal trainer, he often laughed off any harsh words that might be exchanged between master and student. In comparison, Anko found complaining annoying and was known to respond with violence.

"Straighten up! Hold that stance!" she screamed, glaring at him straight in the eyes.

"Yes ma'am!" The blonde boy felt a twinge of fear fill his chest as her orbs bored into him, his body instantly moving into the designated position she had taught him.

After a moment, the woman circled around behind him, shaking her head remorsefully before booting him in the butt. "Still not good enough!"

He jumped to his feet and raged at his teacher. "What the Hell was that for, crazy snake lady?"

"Did I say you could stand back up!" she screamed back in his face, her form seemingly growing while he shrunk back. She struck him in the forehead with two fingers to push him back down before crossing her arms and sighing. "Look! I'll put this into words even you can understand: If you can't even hold a single stance, then there's no way you can fully master the Snake Style!"

"Maybe if you were a better teacher, maybe I wouldn't be having so much trouble with something so stupid!" he grumbled, his eyes widening in shock when he realized his mistake.

A large vein throbbed on the side of the master's face, her cheerful smile changing into a look of utter revulsion. "Are you saying that I'm a bad teacher?" she crunched her fists together, causing him to sweat again. "Not to mention calling my teaching stupid!"

"I'm sorry, Master Anko… Can't we just forget I ever said that and start over?" due to his position he began inching away from her in a nervous crab walk.

"Sure thing!" she grinned widely with a calm expression, causing him to let out a sigh of relief.

Before he could react or stand back up, Anko grabbed him by the legs and stomped her foot between his legs three times before tossing him over her shoulder and into a wooden post positioned several meters away. He groaned and fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, landing on his bottom in a sitting position with his legs out. Naruto raised his head and shook it to clear his vision, a scream escaping his mouth when he saw his teacher stomping towards him. He closed his eyes expecting to be slapped, only for her to seize him by the hand and pull him up.

"Phew… I thought you were gonna kill me…" He sighed again, this time keeping one eye on his abrasive teacher.

She smiled and brought her hand up, this time slapping him gently on the shoulder. "Apology excepted, kid… Since you finally seem to understand how things work with me, maybe we should start over again."

He nodded and smiled weekly, his hand rubbing the spot where his head hit the tree. The blonde boy knew for a fact that master-class fighters were incredibly strong, and if she had wanted to, he would have been dead by now. Just from the fact that the impact had only produced a bump, he could tell she had purposely tossed him with minimal force so that he would be scared, but not severely injured. Of course he dared not mention this out loud armed with the knowledge that she would probably smack him for real if he mentioned it.

"All right then, so could you demonstrate again." He asked hopefully, earning a small groan from his impatient instructor.

Anko nodded slowly. "A basic position used in the Snake Style of the Chinese Martial Arts involves a solid, yet maneuverable stance. By doing that, you can strike quickly using hand and arm motions, while shifting your position in a way that makes your moves less predictable."

She stomped one foot on the ground and leaned the rest of his body back, bending the opposite leg in a squatting position while keeping the first leg straight, producing a fighting stance that many martial artists of different disciplines would fine unorthodox The snake master twisted the upper half of her body so that she was facing to the side and bent her right arm upwards into a striking pose with the tip of her hand out, gently placing the left fist in a supportive position directly beneath the elbow of her opposite arm. She pivoted to the side and extended her stance, making it wider for him to see.

"That looks kinda like some of the stuff that Master Jiraiya taught me early on." he commented with an interested expression.

"I don't recommend lumping different types of fighting styles together, but there are bound to be some similarities considering that both Snake and Northern Shaolin along with a bunch of other fighting methods we teach here at Konoha are branches of the Chinese martial arts." She rose back to a standing position. "At the very least, you seem to understand that much."

Naruto scratched his head. "The one major thing I don't get is the deal with that freaky arm position. The old pervert and Master Guy seemed to focus more on powerful movements with the arms and legs. The position you showed me doesn't seem good for either of those things."

Anko nodded in agreement, a smile coming to her lips. "My style is a bit different than that, and focuses more on being limber and less strong-handed. Instead of strengthening your fists like in karate, we focus the power from our entire bodies!"

"I still don't quite get exactly how that works." He began with a clueless expression.

"If that's the case, then sit back and watch me demonstrate…" she smirked, taking her previous stance and rooting both feet to the ground.

Naruto attempted to distance himself from her, but his attempt to escape proved futile. His new master shifted her left arm over her right elbow and back again before shuffling her stance around in a swift motion and spinning around with so much speed that he had trouble following it with his eyes. He raised his arms up to guard himself only for her to strike both of his elbows with a whip-like movement of each of her wrists. She lashed her arms back and replicated her motion from before, striking him dead center and pushing him to the ground.

He let out a small groan before rolling onto his back. "Ouch…" he stated, resting for a moment on the soft grass.

Anko stepped back and allowed him a second to dust off his shorts. "All right kid, now comes the fun part."

"You mean the part where we call it a day!" he smiled with a hopeful expression.

"Close, but no!" She gently slapped him across the face to wipe away his goofy expression. "All righty then! Before we begin practice again, I want you to come at me with your best moves and attempt to strike me down with everything you've got. This will allow me to demonstrate another series of techniques that you will have to learn."

The blonde-haired fighter grimaced at the thought, his eyes narrowing and his lips pushing together. "Wait, you aren't going to beat me up again, are you?"

She gave him a wide smirk and nodded, causing him the cringe again. "I will if you don't stop asking me dumb questions." She took stepped into the boundaries of the small space the fighters used for sparring and gestured for him to follow, both of them taking their stances. "Just treat this as a normal sparring match and let me handle the rest. I'm sure even you can do that!"

"You got it, scary snake lady!" Naruto copied Lee's nice-guy pose and raised his right thumb, causing her to aim a punch at him. He ducked and jumped, turning on his teacher with a sense of hostility. "Hey, I thought I was the one who was supposed to be doing the attacking?"

"Rule 4- Quit calling me scary snake lady! You do it one more time, and I'll make sure the next hit breaks your nose." Anko smiled at the twinge of fear in his eyes.

Despite how devious it seemed she looked thoroughly entertained by it. The female master took pride in her ability to inspire fear in other people and found it highly amusing, one of the few traits that she had inherited from her former master. The main difference was that he had been a genuinely terrible person who saw the lives of humans as subjects for him to experiment on, while she simply had a dark sense of humor and a violent personality. Anko had not spoken to him in years after leaving his tutelage and never once looked back.

After a moment her mind snapped back to the present. "All right maggot, let's begin!"

Naruto rooted his stance to the ground and flailed his arms in a strong-handed frontal motion, placing a large amount of his energy into each movement to maximize his power. He knew that it was futile for a disciple level fighter to seriously challenge a master, but she had asked him to put in his best efforts and he didn't want to disappoint. Anko smiled as he struck out at her, moving her body as if she was swaying around his punches rather than dodging them, never dispensing with her cheerful expression as she toyed around with her new disciple.

After five minutes of avoiding the reach of his powerful motions, she struck him in the shoulder with a whipping motion of his arm and nailed him in the knee with a second movement, instantly dropping the boy onto his knees. Thrown off balance, he fell the rest of the way, his face landing in the grass for what felt like the umpteenth time that session. He looked up again to see his master smiling as she grabbed him by his elbow and roughly yanked him onto his feet.

"Not bad… I gotta say it looks like the old pervert knew exactly what he was doing." She mused, looking genuinely impressed. "You used a lot of high-energy attacks without tiring yourself out and kept coming no matter how pointless it seemed."

He rubbed the back of his head and nodded. "Gee thanks, Master Anko. The big secret to the Northern Shaolin Style is to keep your breath, or else you'll get tired really quick and pass out due to lack of air. I just made sure not to make that mistake."

"I expected as much!" She replied confidently, her expression becoming more serious as she returned to the subject at hand. "Enough about you, now we'll focus back on the technique. Hopefully you paid some attention to my actual movements instead of just hammering away like a street fighter… Now explain your thoughts so I can hear how much you learned from the sparring."

"Dunno, but it seemed pretty interesting… I noticed how instead of retreating, you stayed pretty damn close to me through that sparring session. That's just martial arts 101 to stay within striking range whenever possible!"

Anko placed her hands on her hips. "All right, but what about the actual movements?"

"Umm…" Naruto scratched his head thoughtfully. "All of your moves seemed fluid, more like you were swaying rather that dodging every single hit separately!"

She nodded apparently relieved he had picked up on it. "Exactly the point!" She pumped her fist hyperactively. "In Snake Kung Fu, even dodging is an important part of your offensive powers. By keeping your body limber and your movements fluid, you can also increase the effectiveness of your offensive techniques by maximizing your ability to perform the motions. Then when the enemy an opening, you hit with full force and knock 'em into next week!"

A look of understanding dawned on his face. "That makes sense… This way you're prepared to fight back even when forced on the defensive!"

"It means that when you do hit the enemy, it'll be a good one!" Anko concurred with a smile. She folded her arms and leaned against one of the wooden posts. "Now that we're done going over the basics, it's time to start the actual work. Remember what you learned here today, because I won't be going over this again!"

"Ready to go, Master Anko!" he saluted with a wide grin, causing her to sigh.

"All right, now take your stance and this time do it right!" she ordered, watching his movement with a critical eye. The female master looked pleased when he did it properly before taking the position herself and moving her hands and arms in a specific manner. "Copy that movement until I tell you to stop. If you can do this for a few hours, we can start technique training during our next lesson!"

Naruto let out a small laugh, gently wiping a few beads of sweat from his brow. "So far this already sounds better than Master Guy's lessons."

She shared his chuckle and sat down on a stump. "Glad you think so…" Anko hesitated for a moment before asking. "Say kid, how would you say I measure up to Master Jiraiya? Believe it or not, I become a master shortly before Ino was made my first disciple. You're only my second student so I'm still kind of green when it comes time to raising up newbies."

"I think you're doing just fine." He replied casually, not even looking at her as he continued practicing the movements.

Anko grinned in a similar manner to her new disciple as she realized that they had quite a bit in common. A lot of people found her rather unpleasant to be around due to her loud and wild personality, which initially made Hiruzen hesitant to allow her to become one of the masters of Konoha several years ago. Coupled with who her own mentor had been in the past, she had been lucky that they had even considered her appointment let alone approved it. Looking at the boy sitting in front of her, she saw traits that reminded her of herself, causing he expression to soften if only a little. He was determined, stubborn, and tough just like her.

After a minute or so, she relaxed her muscles and sat back. "Well what do you know? Maybe the old man was right about him after all." She mused, for a moment seeing herself as a child where the young disciple stood.

As they trained on the grounds, a meeting was taking place in the main building. Hiruzen Sarutobi sat on one of the chairs in his office, his fellow masters remaining completely silent as they watched their visitor carefully. Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai were also present at the meeting with their guest, although the trio had so far chosen to remain silent. The atmosphere in the room was so thick that they could feel it, although none of the martial artists dared to break the awkward silence for several minutes. The elder locked eyes with each of the other masters as if they were communicating without speech.

The visitor was a fairly tall man wearing a light gray suit, matching pants, and a white button-up shirt. His tie was dark red and looked as through it were made of pure silk, and he wore a long-sleeved brown haori over his shoulders, giving him an old fashioned appearance. He possessed a strong chin and prominent forehead, the most interest aspect being his large lightly colored eyes. Strangely enough even his pupils were the same whitish purple color, making it look as though he had none whatsoever. He carried a walking stick with a top handle plated richly in gold, and a rather severe look adorned his features.

"I have given you time to consider… Are you willing to grant my request?" Hiashi Hyuga inclined his head respectfully towards the elder.

The old man stroked his bearded chin pensively. "Before I answer your question, there is one more thing that I wish to know, assuming I am not overstepping my boundaries by asking. I do not understand why you of all people would wish to place your eldest child under the tutelage of the masters here. The Hyuga Clan is known for teaching its own members…"

"While that would normally be true, the head of the family traditionally trains the immediate successor… This has been the way we have passed down our family's secret martial arts for centuries." his guest replied sternly.

"Then why would you wish to enroll your oldest daughter here at Konoha?" Sarutobi questioned.

The visitor grimaced as if he was afraid to admit the truth, but his expression became that of mingled disgust and disappoint moments later. "Hinata is unworthy of being the successor to the clan's legacy, for she has limited talent in the martial arts and even less confidence. The next in line is her younger sister, who despite being several years her junior, has proved her own superiority."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, despite the feeling of empathy he felt for the girl in question. "Very well, it is your family and your judgment. The masters of this dojo would be honored to have a child of the renowned Hyuga Clan as one of our disciples. Perhaps you would care to share some of the details of her enrollment before we sign the paperwork, considering this is, after all, a martial arts school."

"My daughter is sixteen years of age and has already been instructed in the style of Baguazhang by myself. I was hoping she would prove herself worthy to inherit our family's secret techniques, but so far she has repeatedly shown herself to be nothing more than a lost cause."

"Indeed…" The elder ignored the second half of the statement before answering. "Kurenai Yuhi is the most knowledgeable in that style out of the eight masters of Konoha." He motioned for the woman to step forward, prompting her to stand beside him.

The room's lone female bowed her head respectfully towards their prestigious visitor. "It will be my greatest pleasure to train her in the martial arts in your place."

Hiashi Hyuga shook his head dismissively. "I don't much care what you do with the girl, so long as her martial arts education is properly taken care of." He replied with a harsh expression. "Just because she has been denied the right to become my heir, does not mean I will simply allow her to disgrace the name of my clan even further with her weakness. I trust that you will break her of this insipient mediocrity."

"I shall try to the best of my ability to impart the teachings of Baguazhang to your daughter. You have my word as a martial artist." Kurenai answered solemnly, her emotionless façade remaining in place.

"Good…" the Hyuga Clan's leader turned and placed a packet of papers in front of the elder, his cold gaze sweeping over the surface of the table. "These are the forms you had me fill out last week. I am certain you will find that everything is in order, and the payment for her tuition here has already been sent through the mail."

The old man took a look through the stack and nodded once. "Very punctual of you to finish everything off in such short order. It certainly saves us the time and complications." He extended a heavily wrinkled, liver-spotted hand from the sleeve of his robe. "I look forward to meeting your daughter as soon as possible."

His guest accepted the polite gesture like a gentleman. "There are some complications at home right now, but I will send Hinata along once she is ready. Expect her arrival within a week or two, and prepare the necessary lodgings for her beforehand."

"As we have said before, it will be a great honor." Sarutobi replied with a slow nod.

"Thank you for your time, Master Hiruzen." Hiashi replied as he turned his back to the others.

He waltzed past the masters and exited the room without so much as acknowledging them, the end of his walking stick clicking against the floor as he entered the nearest hallway and departed the scene. The assembled fighters remained quiet for several minutes after he left, waiting for his footsteps to die away before acting. Asuma removed a cigarette from his pocket and lit it with the lighter in his opposite hand, looking rather indifferent towards the proceedings. Kakashi swept past him and closed the door leading into the office before facing his fellow masters.

"Is it just me, or was it getting really cold in here." The masked martial artist commented with a tiny note of sarcasm.

The younger Sarutobi took a puff from his cigarette, gently letting the smoke flow from his mouth before speaking. "That family was always an interesting bunch, but this child must really be lacking if they sent her here for remedial training."

"What makes you say that? Many people consider Konoha to be one of the greatest dojos in the world." Kakashi asked with a blank expression.

"The Hyuga are a proud family, famous in the world of martial arts for training their own people." The elder replied in place of his son, using his hand to waft away the smoke. "Some of their clansmen have been listed among the greatest fighters in history since the Sengoku period of Japan. To think that they would produce someone weak and untalented must be inexcusable to a family like them."

Kurenai nodded in agreement. "I see… Since she is unable to learn properly from her family, who better to teach their daughter than the masters of Konoha?"

"Well there is Kensei Ma of Ryozanpaku, the man said to have mastered all of the Chinese Martial arts." Kakashi replied as he fingered a certain novel in his pocket. "Of course when you consider his reputation with young women is even worse than that of Master Jiraiya, I can see why the Hyuga Clan would never have considered him a candidate."

"Yes, I can certainly see why they wouldn't." The elder Sarutobi nodded with a half smile.

Asuma removed the cigarette from his mouth and tapped away the burning ashes. "In any case, I don't plan on judging the situation with the girl until we see for ourselves. I may be wrong, but the fact that her father shows such open contempt really makes me wonder if the blame for her ineptitude lies solely with the daughter."

"True enough… I do agree we shouldn't be so hasty to label others until we have the full story. I'm sure we'll discover the truth once we've seen more to this child." Kurenai replied tactfully.

"Speaking of the truth, do you ever intend to share that disturbing news to our disciples?" Kakashi stepped towards the elder with a dismal expression, hidden behind his ninja-like facemask. "Anko brought this concern to you two days ago, although we haven't fully discussed the issue yet as a group."

"I am still uncertain as to what we should do right now. Perhaps you could advise me on how we are to approach the subject." The old man replied.

The woman standing behind him shook her head. "It might not be wise to give them the information without first discussing how we should approach it."

Asuma seemed to disagree with them. "The kids don't seem so keen on sharing the specifics of what happened on their first day of school, but I'm positive that Lee didn't get those injuries from falling down the stairs. Something tells me if might be in their best interest if we break it to them now rather than later."

"I don't like hiding this sort of thing from our disciples." Kakashi agreed calmly. "I am also certain that Guy would also agree if he was here to cast a vote, especially considering it was his apprentice that was attacked."

"While it is very obvious that the boy got into a fight, we still don't even know exactly how it happened. As of now we have no evidence as to who it was who did it." Kurenai protested. "Adding our own suspicions into the mix would only destroy their peace of mind."

Hiruzen stood up before tapping his staff against the floor to gain their attention, his expression remaining serious and calm. "I believe you have all presented valid points, but for now we should wait until something else happens. When Master Guy returns from his training session this evening, I will ask him to speak with his student. Hopefully we can gain some insight into what is going on, and then based on this information we can make a decision together."

The three masters standing before him seemed to discuss the idea together for a moment before each of them bowed their heads and supported his decision. "For now we all believe this would be the best approach." Kakashi spoke for the others.

"You are dismissed…" the grandmaster inclined his head, making a gesture to the door as they filed from the room. As the door closed again, the old man sat back down and heaved a sigh, his composure slipping a little bit now that he was alone. He glanced at a photograph on the wall of a young version of himself along with three young apprentices, and suddenly he appeared older than usual. "Just what are you trying to accomplish, my disciple?" he muttered disdainfully.

Several Hours Later…

It was late that night, and Shio Sakaki was sitting in the audience at the underground ring. Having participated in several matches in his youth, he came by to do some gambling on the people in the arena and also for the nostalgia that came with the experience. Although he often enjoyed showing off his own incredible strength, the 100-Dan Street Brawler of Karate also got a kick out of watching younger fighters go at it while honing their skills. Next to drinking a bottle of good sake or gambling his profits away at the racetrack, coming to the underground fighting arena was probably one of his favorite pastimes.

He reached to take a sip of beer from his bottle, only to find out that he had run out. "Damn it, looks like I gotta go get some more. Those jerks at the concession charge a fortune for the stuff! It's not like I'm made of money." He grumbled at the empty case and kicked it aside.

Sakaki shuffled through the crowd and headed down the stairs, his eyes moving back towards the arena as another fighter was slammed to the ground. He was mildly impressed by the fighters tonight, especially the boy that had been dominating everyone since the moment he first stepped into the ring. Even the karate master had to agree that he had rarely seen someone below the master class, fight with so much tenacity and ferocity. The boy was roughly Kenichi's age, and yet he fought like with such wild rage in comparison to his own disciple.

As he searched for the bar, the karate master bumped into someone, causing him to look down in surprise. Although she shorter than he was, Sakaki found himself surprised that he recognized the person standing across from him. The gigantic bust and green jacket were familiar enough, although it also helped that her appearance hadn't really changed much in over a decade. She looked up at him for a second before finally realizing whom she had run into, although neither looked particularly thrilled to see the other.

"Well, if it isn't the old lady of Konoha!" the karate master rubbed the back of his neck with an amused expression. "Been a long time since I've seen you… Looks like the anti-aging techniques are still working pretty well."

Tsunade rested a hand on her hip. "I can't believe after all these years you're still the same annoying little brat! I figured the years would have mellowed you out a little bit, but every time our paths cross you seem very much the same."

"Nah, maybe when I reach your age you'll be able to say different. That's assuming you're even alive by then." He retorted with a note of sarcasm, earning a scowl from the women. He ignored her anger and decided to force some civilized conversation out of courtesy. "Let me guess, you came here for the cheap thrills and the booze."

"No, I came here to get a taste of the atmosphere and watch brats duke it out." She replied, shaking her bottle of sake in his face. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her movements sloppy, implying that the middle-aged master was drunk.

"I suppose the gambling didn't have anything to do with it?" he added sarcastically.

She took another sip from her bottle. "I came here for the entertainment factor. Making a little extra income for Konoha is only a bonus."

"Whatever you say." Sakaki shrugged off her response and started to walk away, but even in his slightly inebriated state, he thought of a brilliant idea. "Oi, old lady? Wanna tell me which guys you're gambling your money on in the next few matches?"

"Contestants number 4, 6, and 7." She answered with a glum expression, her lips pouting in an irritable manner. "Why exactly do you even care?"

The karate master sort of snickered to himself before answering. "No big reason… I was just about to place some more bets after picking up some more beer from the bar, and just figured I'd have a better shot at winning if I didn't put my cash on the same fighters as the legendary sucker! Thanks to you, I'm gonna go home with fully lined pockets tonight!"

In her current state it took a moment to figure out what he was implying, although she looked angry once the notion finally sunk in. "Sakaki, you brat!"

She swung at him a few times, but the muscle-bound man moved backwards to avoid the strikes, surprised at how close she came to severely injuring him even though she was clearly in no shape for a real fight. Tsunade seemed to realize the danger she had put innocent bystanders in with her sloppy strikes and quickly stopped, realizing that the booze had only made her temper flare up more quickly than usual. She stepped away from him and sighed, revealing the smell of sake on her breath, before sauntering away in the opposite direction.

"Sheesh, what got into that old hag all of a sudden?" the karate master scratched his head, looking clueless despite the fact that he had instigated. Squaring his shoulders, he remained unconcerned and headed to the stand to get a cold drink.

As the two masters parted ways, the match that they had been watching only minutes ago came to a crushing end as the same fighter claimed victory for the umpteenth time that night. He was a rough looking teenager with wild brown hair, pronounced canine teeth, claw-like nails, sharp black eyes, and slit-like pupils. He had a lean solid build and wore a long-sleeved leather black jacket, matching pants, and no shoes. The most pronounced aspect of his look were the thick, fang-shaped red markings located beneath his eye and running down his face to the sides of his mouth.

The announcer in the booth picked up the microphone. "The winner, and still champion of the underground arena… the invincible, Kiba Inuzuka!" he screamed, causing the audience to erupt into a chorus of cheers. "That's twenty-five winning matches in a row folks, I'm betting those dumb enough to bet against him are wishing they had stayed home tonight! What kind of moves will this outstanding fighter show us next!"

Kiba took a moment to take in the applause before stepping out of the arena and placing a hand to his mouth. "I'm done for the night! Even a awesome guy like me gets bored of this shit after a couple dozen rounds."

Although the audience let out a groan, he didn't much care what they thought of him and quickly stepped down from the ring, taking a second to unzip his jacket and wipe away the sweat that had collected on his brow. He swept past several other people on the way out of the building, but chose to ignore them for the time being. The underground fighting arena was a good place to go if he needed some action, but he had also gone in the hopes that someone would actually have what it takes to put up a decent fight. So far he had been greatly disappointed with the quality of fighters that the arena offered.

The young man walked the streets and decided to cut through an alleyway to get home faster. He had left home over a year ago due to some arguments with his mother and sister. They had taught him to fight as a way of carrying on the family tradition of martial arts, but his mother had prevented him from entering any tournaments due to how dangerous their techniques could be if used properly. Angry that he had the skills but no opportunity to show them off, he left home and started participating in underground matches to test his skills.

It was a rough life, but the money he earned at the fighting arena paid for his apartment, and he was finally free to enjoy the trill of battle to his heart's content. There were times when he wished he were still on speaking terms with the family, but he couldn't bring himself to answer his sister's phone calls or even his mother's death threats. As these thought drifted through his mind, a cloaked man leaning against one wall of the alley stepped in front of him, refusing to move even when Kiba continued walking.

"What's your deal, man? Get moving, I've got places to go!" he took a step away from the figure and let out a feral growl. When the other person still refused to move, it only furthered his irritation. "Look pal, unless you want a trip to the hospital, get out of my way!"

"Kiba Inuzuka I presume… The undefeated king of the underground martial arts arena!" the man said with a note of amusement.

The animalistic fighter clenched his fists for a moment, but his facial expression embodied a certain sense of pride. "So, you know who I am after all and you're still trying want to piss me off. I gotta admit, that takes a lot of guts. If you get up and park your ass somewhere else, maybe I'll let you keep your face."

His rival stood up a little straighter and lowered his arms in a non-threatening manner. "You have my apologies if I inconvenienced you… I just wanted to talk to you a bit."

"Quit wasting my time! What is it?" Kiba raised an eyebrow, looking annoyed and curious.

"Since you seem to be in a hurry, I'll make this quick… I've heard some amazing rumors about your talent as a martial artist." the cloaked man replied tactfully. "Even master class fighters believe that you have some serious potential, and your performance in the arena has been getting a lot of attention from the audience."

The wild-looking man snarled. "Quit being a douche and just tell me what you want!"

Sasuke Uchiha removed his hood, revealing his dark, emotionless eyes. "They know me as the Devil Fist, and I am the leader of a group of elite martial artists known as Team Hebi. More recently, my organization has been recruiting the most powerful fighters to join our ranks. Since your performance in the ring has been so impressive, I am willing to extend this exclusive offer to you as well."

Kiba let out an obnoxious laugh. "I've heard of your crew… They're just a group of brainless thugs like any other gang. Like I would waste my time working with a bunch of street trash!"

"Team Hebi is an organization, not a gang." The Devil Fist replied with an eerie calm. "We are elite martial artists who have earned the recognition of powerful master-class fighters in the world of martial arts. Our goal is to crush the weak underfoot and prove the superiority of the Satsujinken philosophy!"

"Not interested…" the animal-like teenager tried to shove his way past the other man, only to barely avoid his opponent's fist.

"You dodged me… Very impressive…" Sasuke pondered with an interested look.

"What the Hell was that for? You trying to take off my head?" Kiba leapt backwards with a hostile growl, his pupils narrowing dangerously like those of an angry wolf. After a moment, he looked slightly amused by this sudden turn of events. He had never met someone who had come so close to killing him with a barehanded strike. "All right pretty boy, let's make a deal! If you can beat me in a fight, I'll join your stupid club!"

The Uchiha pondered for a moment. "Very well… If you defeat me, Team Hebi will leave you alone. If not, you will return with me to our headquarters and accept your new position with dignity befitting a martial artist."

"Deal!" Kiba screamed, charging forward like a wild animal.

The beast-like man sprung into the air like a pouncing carnivore, spinning his arms around and hammering his target with a series of punches. Although he believed the close-quarters fighting would give him an easy win, Kiba was shocked that his enemy seemed completely unfazed. Sasuke seemed to move with the attacks, his moves so subtle that it seemed like the attacks were actually phasing through his body like a ghost. Kiba was confused that he could feel his fists making contact, but the enemy didn't seem to be affected at all.

Seeing his opponent's hand moving up, Kiba sprung into the air and flipped backwards, landing on all fours and propelling himself even further away using his front hands as the catalyst. After landing on his back, he animal-like fighter swung his legs forward and right himself, landing cleanly on his feet several meters away from the enemy's striking zone. He looked irritated by the turn of events, but seemed somewhat relieved that he had gotten out of the way in time.

"I recognize that move…" he shouted at the cloaked man. "You were going for the same attack that you used for that first strike, and here I figured someone with a big mouth like you would've been a little less repetitive!"

Sasuke ignored his outburst. "I can tell by your movements that you favor the Gou Quan Style based on the movements of a dog. Very unusual, considering that modern use of the skill set is centered around the art of dance rater than practicality in a fight."

The other man grinned, revealing his pronounced canines. "My family has handed down these arts for several years, preserving its true purpose as a means of fighting rather than a method of performing. We have always despised what our fighting style became in the hands of modern society!"

"Join Team Hebi, and perhaps you will have a chance to redeem your martial art in the eyes of the world."

"Not gonna happen, asshole!" Kiba screamed as he rushed towards the enemy a second time.

He swung his claw-like hands and alternated between slashes, punches, and kicks, his eyes blazing with anger as the enemy continued to ignore his attacks. Although he hated the ineffectiveness of his own strikes, the fact that his opponent wasn't even trying to fight back was even worse. Kiba prepared to use a takedown-grappling move only to freeze as his opponent disappeared from view, his face displaying signs of shock for a second. He looked up, forward, and back in confusion before receiving a palm strike to the back.

Despite how soft the blow had felt, Kiba found himself coughing up blood moments later. He hadn't even seen his adversary move behind him, nor could he understand how it happened so fluidly in such a cramped space. "What… are you?" he stammered, struggling to stand.

"It's a shame to destroy a fighter with your strength and determination, but since you seem so intent on resisting me, it appears I have no choice."

Sasuke eyed him for a moment before pivoting and delivering a strike to his opponent's front, finishing his enemy by striking both of his elbows and landing a low-kick to back of his ankle. Kiba fell to the ground with a loud crash, his eyes wide in shock as his body collided painfully with a metal garbage can. The animalistic fighter had never encountered anyone that could give him such a challenge before now, but this was far worse than he had imagined. Not only had he lost, but he hadn't even been able to follow the enemy's movement completely, let alone figure out a way to counter the attacks.

Kiba tried to stand up, but the internal damage caused by the strikes slowed his movement considerably, and the strikes to his joints made moving his limbs difficult. When he was halfway up, a foot came down on his back, pushing him back onto the concrete.

"Crap… I… I can't believe it! I lost… … …" he stammered in a hoarse tone.

"Yes you did." Sasuke pushed down on his spine, threatening to snap him in half. "You made a promise… Agree to serve us, and I will preserve your life as a valuable member of Team Hebi. Go back on this agreement, and I promise you will die like a dog alone in the streets!" he reached out his hand with an empty expression.

"You win! "I'll keep my word as a true martial artist and join your stupid gang!" Kiba replied in a defeated tone, baring his teeth like a cornered beast a he accepted his hand. "Just remember one little thing about this deal… I'm only following you because you proved your strength to me tonight. Let your guard down or show even an ounce of weakness, and I'll rip your throat out in an instant…"

Note to Readers: Hermit barely survives his encounter with Suigetsu, one of the middle-ranked Demons of Team Hebi! Not looking good for the heroes so far! Naruto's training intensifies; meanwhile Sasuke continues to recruit fighters for his gang. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. As usual I'm sorry if there's some typos, or errors in spelling and grammar, but typically write chapters for my stories late at night.

I would really love to hear some suggestions so keep them coming if you have some. Please feel free to comment if you liked something, want to see something happen, or have any guesses or predictions as to what will happen next! Don't forget to **REVIEW**! It really motivates me to keep working on this story!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Where the Serpents Gather**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

This morning had been rather unusual, since the majority of the Shinpaku Alliance had gathered in Kenichi's homeroom despite the fact that most were older students from different classes. Among the gathered fighters were Haruo Nijima, Takeda the Puncher, Ukita the Thrower, and Kisara Nanjo. Upon arriving at school that morning, the group had immediately come together with important news and decided to warn each other immediately, prompting them to seek out the group's assault commander as soon as possible.

"Will you guys quit gathering around my desk and find somewhere else to meet?" Tanimoto's eyes narrowed at his unwanted teammates.

Hermit looked extremely irritated this morning due to the sheer number of people invading his personal space. While girls would normally have surrounded the drama club president, the flock of fans that often followed him stood clear of the gang of former delinquents. Despite the fact that they had changed their ways, Kisara and her two ex-bodyguards were still known for being thugs, and very few people if any enjoyed the alien boy's company. Of course for once, the reason for his annoyance wasn't the Shinpaku Alliance members.

After his fight with one of the Six Demons of Team Hebi, Natsu had suffered a bunch of nasty injuries. Among these included a broken rib, several bruises, and plenty of internal damage that had been inflicted by his opponent's wooden blade. Suigetsu had wielded it with so much force that it felt more like the enemy had slammed him repeatedly with a metal club. Tanimoto now wore a layer of bandages under his shirt and a portion of his leg, a few more covering spots on his face. He had also dispensed with his pleasant façade this morning, his demeanor repulsing several other students from approaching.

Takeda ignored the killing intent radiating from the boy and smiled. "No worries Hermit! The members of the Shinpaku have to stick together in hard times like these."

"How many times do I have to tell you idiots that I'm not a part of your stupid alliance?" He hissed through grit teeth, a vein throbbing on his forehead.

The red-haired girl standing beside him looked amused by this, although she chose to ignore his temper. "Speaking of hard times, it looks like you've had your share in the past twenty-four hours." Kisara leaned in with one hand on her hip, her green eyes moving over his injured form. "It looks like you were run over be a steamroller… Maybe you should see a doctor about that."

Tanimoto resisted the urge to attack them in public. "First of all, I don't trust doctors! Secondly, who the Hell asked for your opinion, Valkyrie?"

"Care to tell us where those injuries came from?" Nijima purred in an oily tone, his evil smirk widening considerably as he started to poke the boy. "C'mon Tanimoto, you're among friends!"

"Will you people just go away?" Hermit covered his head and tried to ignore them, but he was finding it increasingly difficult with everyone bearing down on him like that.

"Hey, what are all of you guys doing here?" another voice called out from behind them.

The group turned to see Kenichi enter the room, backpack slung over her shoulder with Miu following close behind. He wore a slightly puzzled expression due to the surprise at seeing all of his companions gathered together outside of Shinpaku meetings. The last thing he expected was for everyone to invade his homeroom class like this, but despite how happy he was to see them, a strange feeling burned in the pit of his stomach. While they were all good friends, his instincts warned him that the others hadn't come by just to chat. He frowned at the idea, but did his best to stay positive.

"Yo Kenichi, grab your honey and get over here quick!" Takeda waved as the pair walked over to their friends.

Kisara slapped an arm around the other girl's shoulder. "So big boobs, how're you holding up?"

"Everything's been pretty normal lately, but I would really appreciate it if you would stop calling me that." Miu placed a finger to her lip as if in deep thought before casually answering the actual question. "Although, we did run into some bumps after last night's training session. Akisame and my grandfather found Kenichi climbing over the dojo's south wall like he was trying to escape."

The others laughed at his expense, causing Kenichi to divert his gaze to the floor. "Did you have to mention that in front of everyone?" he questioned glumly.

She giggled modest before nodding her head. "Well they did ask how you were doing, so why not be honest about it?" Miu added innocently.

"Ugh…" Ryozanpaku's disciple ran a hand through his messy hair before trying to change the subject. "So, it's not like I didn't wanna see you guys, but the Shinpaku Alliance doesn't usually meet in the morning, much less in the back of Mr. Yasunaga's classroom."

"Well aren't you sharp as a tack?" Ukita straightened his sunglasses with a calm look.

Nijima let out an insane cackle, his forked tongue waving around wildly between his teeth. "Precisely what I was thinking, although right now we have some more pressing matters to discuss. One involving a certain gang of snakes and our recent encounters with its members!"

"Wait a minute… You mean those Team Hebi guys that attacked the new students?" Kenichi asked. "Are you telling me they came after you guys too?"

"Not directly, if that's what you were thinking… However, you may find this bit of news quite fascinating nonetheless." the demon-like boy suddenly looked dead serious, his smile returning as he snapped his fingers. "All right guys, show him the evidence!"

The others reached into their pockets, pulling out pieces of paper they had found at their homes the previous night. While Tanimoto and Nijima had not gotten any notices, the remaining Shinpaku members each received messages from a certain gang. Kisara found hers taped to the front door of her apartment, while her two former lackeys had pulled them from their lockers just this morning, making it clear that the enemy was targeting the federation. The gathered members looked highly amused by the current situation, although their self-proclaimed boss was the first to speak up.

Nijima leaned over to his self-proclaimed worst friend. "You remember yesterday's meeting when we discussed those creeps from Team Hebi, right?"

"Yeah, you said they were probably recruiting members for the gang." The brown-haired boy looked up nervously, having already guessed what was going on. "Wait a minute, don't tell me those guys are trying to recruit the Shinpaku Alliance too?"

"That's the impression I got from this note they left." Takeda replied as he handed to paper over.

Kenichi read it quickly, his eyes widening slowly as they moved further down. "Looks like these guys are pretty serious." He passed it over to Miu before turning back to his remaining friends. "They threatened to kill you if you don't agree to join them. It sounds like a solid threat, although I hope none of you are seriously considering it."

"No worries Kenichi, thanks to you our delinquent days are behind us." Takeda replied with a light-hearted smile. "Like I said before, this'll be a great opportunity to test out the results of my training. It's about time things got exciting again!"

Kisara let out an amused laugh as she leaned against the back wall "C'mon kiddo, like we would stoop that low again. You're talking to the girl who broke into one of Ragnarok's hideouts and basically told her superiors to go to Hell. I wasn't afraid of gangs back then, and I'm not afraid these new guys either."

Ukita stomped his foot on the ground angrily before clenching his fist. "I'm not the kind of guy to be pushed around so easily. If they wanna fight so badly, I say let 'em come."

Their supposed leader threw his arms in the air and spun around, a pair of antennas popping out from beneath his hairline. "The Shinpaku Alliance is an immortal force of truth and justice! We won't be so easily intimidated by a bunch of mundane nobodies like Team Hebi."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that…" Tanimoto spoke up, his input surprising everyone present.

Kenichi looked down at his rival as if he just noticed the man's injuries. Upon first seeing him, he had ignored it, but now the current conversation unearthed a number of unpleasant scenarios. The idea of someone as strong as Natsu sustaining so much damage in such a short amount of time made him cringe in fear. They hadn't seen Hermit in such terrible shape since his battle with Berserker, and the idea that someone else was able to do this to him seemed like a cause for concern. From the looks on the faces of the others, the brown-haired disciple guessed that they were all thinking the same thing.

Sensing their suspicions, Hermit decided it was best to explain before they started interrogating him. "You guys can probably guess these injuries didn't just appear overnight. You guys might be annoying as Hell to be around, but I might as well warn you about what'll happen if you mess with Team Hebi."

Before anyone could ask any questions, two more students crossed over to where they were meeting, both looking as if they had heard what was going on. Naruto and Sakura had overheard the conversation while passing by, and although she had been adamant about leaving them alone, he had decided to intervene. After what happened to their friends the last two days, he had been trying to learn more about their attackers in an attempt to figure out what was really going on. Upon getting a closer look at them, Naruto Uzumaki recognized his classmates, although neither of them had ever seen the upper-classmen or the alien before.

"I heard you guys talking about Team Hebi over here." Naruto stated with an unusually serious expression, his blue eyes locking onto the group. "Tell us everything you know about them." He demanded rather than asked, the aggressive action causing some of them to tense up.

Takeda stepped in front of the shorter man with an irritated look. "You must be one of the new kids. Most folks around here know better than to mouth off in front of the Shinpaku Alliance like that." He clapped a hand on the boy's shoulder for a second and grinned. "Either you got a lot guts, or a death wish."

"Are you picking a fight, blue hair?" the blonde boy swatted the senior's hand off of his shoulder and raised his fists, causing the other man to do the same. The air in the classroom froze for a moment of two as the fighters prepared to throw down, although the others quickly intervened.

Although her friend didn't back down, Sakura quickly shoved him away before turning to face Kenichi. "Sorry, we didn't come over here to get into trouble with your friends."

He scratched the back of his head nervously as the killing intent dissipated. "That's okay, no harm down." The brown-haired boy looked nervously between the two others. "If you guys wouldn't mind, could you both settle down before everyone starts staring at us?"

Kisara stuck her leg in front of the boys to prevent anyone from making any sudden moves, her gaze shifting to the large breasted girl standing beside her. "Hey Miu, are these two people friends of yours?"

"Yup… They just transferred here two days ago." She straightened her faux glasses with a bright smile. "Meet Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, the disciples of Konoha Dojo!"

The blue-haired puncher lowered his fists, instead extending a friendly handshake to the boy. "So you guys come from a dojo, huh? That must mean you're fighters just like the rest of us."

"So you guys are all fighters too?" Naruto's accepted the handshake with a wide grin, looking surprised that all of Kenichi's friends were martial artists like them. He was embarrassed that they had just been preparing for a conflict only moments ago. "Hate to break it to you guys, but I'm the one who's gonna be the number one fighter in the world!"

"Do you always have to do that whenever you introduce yourself?" Sakura seethed with an irritated groan before slapping her forehead. "I swear, one day's someone's going to turn around and hit you for being such as asshole!"

Takeda put his hands in his pocket and relaxed again. "No worries, the rest of us have our own goals in life even if most of us don't have an interest in winning a title like that." He paused for a moment and smiled. "You wanna be the best, I say go for it."

"Why not? That's actually a pretty common goal for a lot of martial artists. Even people with no talent whatsoever have their dreams." Kisara shrugged off the notion calmly, her tone betraying signs of amusement. She was still uncertain what to think of the newcomers and decided not to judge quite yet.

Naruto scratched his head with a thick expression. "Thanks… I think… …" he murmured.

"Life's not much unless you have something to strive towards." Kenichi reassured him with a sense of strong conviction.

In reality, he was unwilling to lay down any harsh assumptions about his fellow disciples. The masters of Ryozanpaku once mentioned to him that the goal of most fighters was to be the strongest, which made his own desires strange in comparison. Kenichi wanted to be a great martial artist, but he was driven mostly by his want to protect those closest to him. Even his own teachers dismissed him as strange because of this, but all of them agreed that it was a worthy and noble pursuit. His other goal in life was now standing a few feet away from him, but the thought made him blush as his eyes shifted to Miu.

"See Sakura, looks like they get it!" Naruto announced triumphantly, causing her to groan.

"All right, you win." The pink-haired girl turned and bowed her head towards the others. "Again, I'm still very sorry if he was being a little too forward by butting into your conversation. I hope you understand that we have our own reasons." She finished politely.

Her friend's expression suddenly became serious again. "Guess I got carried away earlier, but four of our friends were attacked by those Team Hebi guys in the last two days. It's like they've been purposely targeting Konoha, so we wanna know more about them before it happens again."

"Wait a minute, you just said that four of your friends were attacked?" Kenichi leaned in with a look of concern. "I was there at the time this happened and I only saw two people being attacked. They both claimed to know you guys, so we've gotta be talking about the same incident!"

"Oh yeah, I remember now! Ino and Lee told me that you helped them take down those jerks." Naruto excitedly slapped the boy on the back, causing him to recoil slightly in pain, a wide smile present on the blonde boy's face. "They said your moves were wicked awesome! It makes me wish you had agreed to spar with me the first day, huh Shirahama!"

"Uh, thanks…" Kenichi rubbed the place on his back with a weary expression, quietly hoping he wouldn't do it again.

Sakura's expression softened considerably as she approached him. "I'm really glad you had their backs in that scrap. I'm betting Lee was careless and didn't anticipate such a rough fight on his first day in a new school. Although I can't say any of us were really expecting…"

"Hey!" Tanimoto interrupted from his spot behind them, earning an irritated glare from the pink-haired girl for his ill manners. If this bothered him in the slightest, he didn't display it outwardly and continued speaking. "I heard you two mention that more of your buddies were attacked."

Naruto moved past the Shinpaku members and bent over, his strong blue-eyes locking tensely with the other man's lighter ones for a moment. "What about it, do you know something?"

Hermit pushed the other boy away dismissively before addressing the others. "I saw two guys a few blocks away from here kicking around some Hebi grunts yesterday afternoon. There was a big fat kid with long hair, and a lazy-looking boxer with a pineapple for a head. Are these the guys you were talking about?"

"Sounds like Choji and Shikamaru!" Naruto immediately recognized the descriptions. "What do you think Sakura?"

She nodded firmly and crossed her arms. "The description fits, and they were involved in a fight yesterday with twenty guys, not too far from the school. No doubt, it has to be them."

Armed with this new bit of information, Takeda seemed to take immediate interest. "Wait, so you guys are being targeted too? Here we thought that the Shinpaku Alliance were the only ones on Team Hebi's list."

"Yup, it looks that way." The blonde teenager shrugged, his face drooping slightly as he realized his own ignorance. "Um, what is the Shinpaku Alliance anyway?"

Suddenly Nijima slid in between them, a wide smile on his face. "I'm glad you asked, young man… The Shinpaku Alliance is a martial arts group led by yours truly!" he explained, pointing both thumbs towards himself. "The people you see standing before you are the leaders of this fine organization! With our grand assault commander Kenichi Shirahama standing at the helm, we fight for justice against the likes of delinquents the world over!"

The two newcomers glanced at each other confusedly. Naruto's expression quickly changed to one of excitement. "Wow, that sounds pretty awesome, like some kind of superhero team!"

"Are you serious about this?" Sakura questioned the alien-like boy with narrowed eyes.

"Unfortunately he is." Kenichi responded with a glum expression. "Normally we wouldn't have gone for something like this, but Nijima roped most of us into joining his martial arts group, and we've been stuck playing along ever since."

Ukita nodded in agreement before facing the others. "It's not all bad, especially since this little gang of his brought us all together like this. We've all been best friends ever since!"

"Not me…" Hermit snapped, his voice causing them to focus on the subject at hand.

Kenichi faced to his rival with a worried expression. "That reminds me, what were you going to say earlier about Team Hebi?"

Tanimoto's expression intensified, his hands folding as he leaned on the surface of his desk. "I was practicing my martial arts yesterday afternoon when I heard some commotion and decided to investigate." He glanced at the duo of strangers. "I saw them fighting off a group of brainless Hebi grunts in the street, and from what you were saying earlier, it would seem that the transfer students are acquainted with them already."

Nijima glanced at his wounds for a second, looking genuinely disturbed. "That still doesn't explain how you sustained all those injuries. I'm still wondering how a fighter of your caliber came out of this fight looking like that! Would I be correct to assume that you were not involved in the first battle at all?"

"It would take a lot more than twenty lowlifes to get the better of Shikamaru and Choji." Sakura nodded once with a sense of arrogance. "Those two wouldn't have needed help, especially when fighting together as a team."

Hermit shook his head, looking bothered by their interruptions. Since his interest in helping his fellow students was minimal to begin with, his patience was beginning to wane. "Your buddies weren't my concern anyway, and honestly I wouldn't have cared even if they were killed. If you die in a fight, it means you deserve it for being too weak!"

"You arrogant jerk!" Naruto slapped his hands down on the boy's desk, glaring daggers at him. "Those were my best friends you were talking about just now! I've got a good mind to toss your ass out of the third story window for being such as ass!"

"Whoa kid, I wouldn't try that if I were you. Hermit's known to have a temper!" Takeda pat the new student on the shoulder and shook him a bit to get his attention.

Tanimoto simply returned the expression, but before Naruto could say anything else, Sakura pulled him away and muttered an apology. She felt like a mother preventing her child from picking a fight and silently admired the boy for not striking out at him out of sheer irritation, something that she herself was so commonly guilty of doing. At the same time, she also knew why Naruto was so shaken up, and had noticed his fiery mood since yesterday afternoon when their friends had given them the bad news. Of course she also considered Hermit's attitude to be rude, but didn't typically have the guts to start a fight with people she didn't know.

"So Tanimoto, where did you get those injuries?" Kenichi pressed with a more urgent tone.

The former Ragnarok member looked off into the distance as if he were seeing the memories through a window. "During that big scrap yesterday, I noticed some dude in a cloak watching the battle from the roof of a nearby building. Once it was over he seemed to lose interest and left, but I had my suspicions and decided to follow after him."

"Oh, so that's when you got your butt kicked?" Takeda added casually, ducking under a punch as the boy lashed out at him.

"Go to Hell, idiot boxer!" Hermit glanced around hoping that no bystanders had noticed before continuing his story. "Anyway, I found the creep in the hood a few blocks away and started asking him questions about what Team Hebi was up to. Turns out that this guy was one of the Six Demons who serve the Devil Fist."

"The Devil Fist! So it looks like the orders were given directly from the top…" Nijima deduced in a loud whisper, his brain working furiously to process the information.

Naruto seemed to take a sudden interest in the conversation. "Who's this Devil Fist guy the rest of you keep talking about?"

"If only the rest of us were as ignorant as you…" The demon-looking student mused, his expression becoming dark and foreboding moments later. "He's the leader of Team Hebi, and the Six Demons are his lieutenants! They say that each one of them is an expert martial artist with prodigious skills, but the boss still strikes fear into the others. The are even rumors floating around that he's never been defeated in a fight, and constantly seeks battle like a true monster!"

"So who are these people exactly? Do you even know what they're planning" Sakura wondered.

"The alien freak says their identities are a mystery, but the actual syndicate focuses on the killing fist philosophy of the martial arts. Knowing that alone means that we're bound to be in for some trouble." Kisara explained with a calm expression, earning surprised reactions from her former minions. "What? You guys surprised I actually pay attention to Nijima's annoying prattling?"

"Of course you do, the loyal members of the Shinpaku don't blink unless I command it!" Nijima declared, only to be punched in the face by the redhead's fist.

"Don't push your luck, demon!" Kisara retorted, knowing full well that she could easily have hit him harder.

Naruto's expression became stubbornly sour. "Sheesh, and your leader has the nerve to call me ignorant. It doesn't sound like you guys know any more about these creeps than we do!"

Sakura turned her gaze back to the boy sitting in the corner. "You said you encountered one of the leaders of this gang. Can you give us any particulars, like what he looked like or what kind of techniques he used?"

"What exactly happened between you guys?" Kenichi added with a curious expression.

Hermit relaxed his shoulders and took a moment to gather his thoughts before answering. "The guy removed his drape, and introduced himself as the Demon Swordsman of the Six. He said his name was Suigetsu Hozuki, although I didn't realize how important this was until we started exchanging blows."

A look of recognition came to Miu's face as she remembered something useful. "The man largely considered the greatest swordsman in the world was a young prodigy named Mangetsu Hozuki who became a master of armed combat at the age of fifteen! Is it possible that this man you fought was a relative of his?"

"He bragged about being Mangetsu's younger brother and started talking about the types of sword styles that he'd trained in over the years." Tanimoto explained this with an irritated expression. "During our fight he revealed a lot of stuff, although it wasn't until after I beat him that he started answering my questions."

"C'mon man, spill it!" Nijima nearly bounced on the soles of his shoes, looking like he was about to explode from excitement.

Natsu did his best to ignore the boy's antics. "It was just as the rest of you guessed. Team Hebi was sent here to recruit the Shinpaku Alliance and search for talented fighters to fill their ranks. The freaky swordsman tried to recruit me, but I refused and left him passed out in the street after beating him in a fight."

"That's all!" Naruto blurted out incredulously. "We still don't know anything about these guys!"

"Have you even been listening to the same conversation?" Sakura nudged him in the ribs. "At the very least, we know that the leadership of Team Hebi is actively involved in these operations. This indicates that they see both the Shinpaku Alliance and Konoha as potential threats and are trying to integrate or destroy anyone who might be able to stand up to them."

"What a sharp wit you have, my dear." Nijima snickered, looking amused that she had picked up on it so quickly. "It looks like our pink-haired friend managed to come to the same conclusion as I did. This is clearly more than just the enemy's recruiting process, but also a way for them to amass even greater power and influence!"

Kenichi stroked his chin thoughtfully for a second before speaking. "We should also consider that one of these guys was strong enough to do that to Tanimoto. I'm a little bit scared to imagine what the leader can do if one of his subordinates could put up such a fight."

Hermit nodded grimly. "He's right about that… I might have won that fight, but this Suigetsu guy was a lot tougher than I ever expected. To make things worse, I don't think he was even taking it seriously. Had he gone all out from the beginning, I'm not sure if things would have worked out the same."

"It's been a while since I've seen Hermit this pissed about an opponent. Not since he fought Kenichi awhile back." Kisara added with a casual shrug. "Sounds like these new guys are the real deal, not just some punks we can ignore!"

Tanimoto turned to face Kenichi again. "I'm warning you Shirahama, don't take these guys lightly if you fight them again. I know you hate being the aggressor, but if you hold back for even a second, they won't hesitate to kill you."

Ukita turned to face the pointy-eared student. "Hey alien freak! You're our so-called leader, so what do you suggest we do about this?"

"Just keep a lookout and I'll see if I can't find some more intelligence on the enemy. We need to be prepared from now on at all times, especially armed with the knowledge that Hebi already has people stationed in this school. Keep your heads down and trust no one outside of this circle!"

"Makes sense, I guess!" Takeda replied before wrapping his arms around Kenichi and Miu. "Don't worry buddy, we've got your back! If there's any trouble just give the rest of us a holler and we'll we there to cover your ass!"

"That reminds me!" Nijima slid up to the pair of newcomers with a sly expression. "Since we all seem to share the same enemy, I'm willing to extend an interesting offer to you Konoha kids and your own circle of friends. Rally your little group together and join with the Shinpaku Alliance for your own safety… There's a better chance of getting through this if we all stick together."

Sakura grabbed the alien by the face and forcefully pushed him away. "Yeah, we're not really interested in being your lackeys." She replied without a moment's hesitation.

"Yeah, our friends can take of themselves." Naruto added with a proud look, folding his arms and nodding vigorously. "Our buddy Ino already came up with a buddy system so that we don't go wandering around alone in public. So long as we stick together, there's no way anyone can beat us down!"

"Please reconsider! Joining up with us has a lot of benefits… Hear me out!" Nijima begged the duo. "At least talk to your friends about it, I'm sure they'll all come around eventually!"

"I think what he means to say is that this could be serious." Kenichi added kindly as he pushed the alien nuisance onto the floor.

"Thanks for the concern guys, but we are after all the disciples of Konoha. Our masters taught us well." The pink-haired girl added with a smile as she began walked back towards her seat. "Still, thanks a lot for the info on these creeps that attacked Lee. At least now we have a better idea of what's going on around here!"

"Don't worry about us! If there's anyone else dumb enough to come after my buddies again, I'll just kick their ass!" Naruto followed close behind, smiling back at the others.

Ryozanpaku's lone disciple exhaled as the two transfer students moved out of earshot, looking slightly bewildered by how calm they seemed. The other Shinpaku members seemed to have mixed reactions towards them. Nijima seemed intrigued as always while Takeda seemed to have taken a liking to Naruto due to his optimism. Ukita was somewhat indifferent to the situation, and Kisara had remained largely impassive during the conversation due to her lack of interest in them. The redhead had a habit of only taking an interest in those who earned her respect, and she had never fought the new kids.

"Those two really are an excitable pair." Miu replied with a bright smile.

"You always were a good judge of character." Kenichi added calmly. "I can't help but empathize with their desire to protect their friends from danger."

Takeda glanced across the room looking impressed. "That blonde kid might have been an idiotic knucklehead, but I gotta admit he had a lot of guts shouting out his goals like that. I might be starting to like the twerp."

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of first period. "Your welcome was officially warn out about twenty minutes ago." Hermit announced, his temper rising again now that the gathering was pretty much over. He stood, up causing the others to look over at him. "Next time do me a favor and pick somewhere else to meet."

The upper-classman stood up and quickly exchanged niceties with Kenichi and Miu before exiting the room, all three knowing full well that they would be late for class. To a group of former delinquents like them, it really didn't make a difference, but none of them were in the mood to listen to lectures from their teachers about being late.

"You're a valued member of the Shinpaku Alliance, Hermit! Don't keep denying it!" Nijima added, earning him a punch to the face.

Tanimoto let out a groan. "Will you get out of here? I don't want to be a member of your stupid club, and I don't want to be your friend! You idiots should just quit bugging me!"

"Sure thing, Natsu-chan!" Kenichi added humorously, causing his rival's temper to flare up.

"Who the Hell is Natsu-chan!" Hermit grabbed them both by the throats, causing several people to stare at him with puzzled expressions. "Shiarhama, Nijima… My best friends!" He quickly put his fake smile back and pulled the others closer to him, his eyes narrowing dangerously when bystanders returned to their own business. "You idiots are dead once my injuries heal!"

Several Hours later…

"So that's the case." Shikamaru exhaled deeply, having listened to the explanation from his two friends. The rest of the disciples were also gathered in the common room, occupying couches and chairs as they listened to the situation.

Sakura nodded slowly. "We got this information from Kenichi Shirahama and his band of friends during homeroom this morning."

"I never would have guessed that such a nice kid would be the boss have his own gang of fighters." Ino commented, her eyes alive with fascination. "I guess you learn something new everyday, huh guys?"

"It is good to know that there are more honorable martial artists willing to stand up to this Team Hebi!" Lee nodded in agreement, a battle-happy smile adorning his face. "Ryozanpaku's disciple and his friends seem like a trustworthy group of people to have told you all of this. I am also very impressed that someone else besides Konoha has the guts to stand for truth and justice!"

"I'm still not so sure we should trust these Shinpaku people, especially when we don't know much about them." Choji added with a frown.

The blonde girl seemed to disagree. "Kenichi had some really good moves, and he stepped in to help us even though it wasn't his fight. I know you and Shikamaru haven't met him yet, but he seems like a really genuine and trustworthy guy, and I'm willing to bet his friends are too."

"That Miu girl had really nice boobs. You guys should have seen her curves… Didn't think it was possible for someone so young to look like a freaking supermodel!" Naruto replied with a piggish expression, only to be struck on the head by the girl sitting beside him.

"Will you quit talking like that? I swear you spend way too much time hanging around Master Jiraiya." Sakura added with an irritated look.

"Never mind that." Shikamaru added in a serious tone. "I honestly don't care who the Shinpaku Alliance is. What worries me if the information they uncovered about the guys who've been attacking us the last two days. Not only have these attacks not been a coincidence, but I was right about Konoha being one of their targets."

Choji leaned forward in the large armchair where he was sitting. "It's like Naruto said, they must've found out that we were attending the Kouryou High when Lee fought those Karate Club dudes. Once they found out who he was, the enemy probably looked up some information on the rest of us through the school roster and found out that we were all in the same school."

The resident genius agreed. "I know I told you guys to be careful before, but thanks to Naruto's new friends, my suspicions have been confirmed."

"Those weird dudes aren't my friends!" the blonde disciple cried out with a note of outrage.

"C'mon Naruto… Like you of all people have any right to call anyone else weird." Ino raised an eyebrow in amusement.

He turned on the girl with a frown. "Are you implying something there?"

"You guys are missing the point." Shikamaru stated in a slightly louder tone, causing them to fall silent again. "I personally think it's a good idea if we stop with the after school activities and just return to the dojo as soon as class ends as a group. If we do this, there's a lower chance that our enemies will be willing to attack."

"I just joined the girls swim team." Sakura protested quickly. "I don't think we should just stop living our lives because a bunch of thugs want trouble with us. If we can't enjoy ourselves, we might as well join up with Team Hebi just to get them off our backs."

Ino nodded in agreement, looking equally as stubborn. "You guys may not be willing to take the risk, but I agree with Sakura. Stopping our lives because we're afraid of some thuggish cronies isn't the befitting of a Konoha martial artist. The reason we train so hard is so that we don't have to let bastards like them get away with bullying other people… This includes us!"

Naruto brought his fists down on the coffee table and grit his teeth. "Hell yeah! I say if these guys wanna fight so badly, we bring the fight to them instead!"

"That's the spirit, guys!" Lee cheered loudly, pumping his fist in the air.

Shikamaru shook his head disapprovingly. "I understand how you guys feel, but right now we don't know enough about the enemy to make any irrational decisions. I'm only making these suggestions for our own safety."

"Who died and put you in charge?" the blonde boy crossed his arms with a childish expression.

"I already planted a bed of flowers in the school green house." Ino commented with a certain sense of finality. "There's no way I'm quitting the gardening club, especially since it's one of the few things I do to relax when Master Anko isn't raking me across the coals."

"Looks like majority rules, Shikamaru. I guess that means we've got no choice but to come up with some sort of compromise." Choji replied, quickly noting that the others would ignore his friend's arguments in any case.

The lazy genius exhaled with a weary expression, his form slouching in defeat. "All right, I can see the writing on the wall." He admitted defeat, being too tired right now to push the boulder up the icy mountain, so to speak. The boy relaxed for a moment, placing his together in a circular position in his lap. "All right, since the rest of you don't seem so keen on my first suggestion, maybe we should go home in groups of three from now on instead of pairs?"

"Just what are you going on about now?" the orange-clad disciple groaned, his eyes wandering for a moment.

"We already know there is strength in numbers, so from now on, Lee, Choji, and me can go home together as one group. Ino, Sakura, and Naruto can hang back at school and leave once their activities are over. Sound like a good compromise? This way we travel in larger numbers without restricting our activities so much."

Naruto grimaced. "Hey wait, I don't have any clubs after school! Why do I have to stay and wait for the girls to finish playing around?"

"Because Einstein, you were the one who seemed so hyped by what Ino was saying earlier. I figured you would be happy to support it." Shikamaru replied tactfully.

The orange-clad boy looked annoyed by this decision, but they were quickly interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Asuma Sarutobi stepped into the building with an amused expression, his eyes immediately gravitating to the trio of boy sitting in the corner of the room. Shikamaru and Choji stood up, both of them remembering that it was time for their afternoon training session to begin. As one of the better well rounded masters of Konoha Dojo, the elder's son had taken both of them as his students, and had been teaching them everyday since their martial arts training began.

They immediately walked over to greet their teacher, but the master stepped past his two regular students and placed his hand on the back of the nearest chair, pushing forward with all of his strength and toppling Naruto onto the floor. The orange-clad fighter grumbled a few times before lifting the furniture off of his back, his eyes widening as he remembered the schedule the elder had written for him at the beginning of the weak.

"Let me guess, your next?" he mumbled with a less than enthusiastic expression.

Asuma pat his shoulder with excessive force, causing the smaller man to wobble slightly. "Yup, you're training with Shikamaru and Choji today. This might be a little bit different than your previous sessions with Guy and Anko, so just go with the flow and prepare for the worst."

"Go with the flow…" Naruto scratched his head with a clueless look before realizing that the others were already walking ahead of him. He quickened his pace to a jog to catch up before noticing that they were running. "Hey guys, wait for me!"

Sakura watched them go as if she found the situation humorous before turning back to her other friends. "So, you guys think Naruto will be able to last the rest of this week or not?"

"I'm gonna have to say yes." Ino replied, leaning on her hand with a cheerful look. "If he can survive training sessions with my master and Lee's master, then there's really not much worse he'll experience before it's over."

Lee nodded in agreement. "I too have strength in Naruto, although we have yet to see what the elder is like."

"What makes you bring that up all of a sudden? The leader of the dojo has to be one of the nicest of the masters here, we all know that to be true." The pink-haired girl replied.

"Master Hiruzen is a very kind and honorable man, this much is certainly true. However at the same time you seem to forget that none of us have ever once trained with him." The bushy-browed fighter replied forebodingly. "As it stands, we have no prior knowledge of his training methods aside from what little our own teachers may have mentioned. For all we know, the old man may turn out to be the most brutal of them all."

While her best friend appeared concerned by the thought, the blonde girl seemed to find the notion more entertaining. "Looks like we've got something interesting to look forward to." She commented with a smarmy expression. "If the knucklehead lasts all week and reaches the elder, we'll get a chance to find out what Master Hiruzen is really like…"

As they discussed the possibilities, Asuma began his session outside with all three of his current disciples. They had gone to his personal training field somewhere on the edge of the woods that grew on the dojo's property line and were preparing to start. The area was a small field with four wooden posts spaced several meters apart in what appeared to be a perfect square formation, a series of ropes connecting them like a fighting ring. While most of the masters of Konoha preferred a wide-open area for teaching their students, the younger Sarutobi stubbornly stuck with his own methods.

The master was seated on one of the stumps on the side of the area while his students remained sitting on the ground close by like kids waiting for a lecture to begin. "All right guys, as you're both aware, Naruto will be joining us for one day each week to learn my teachings."

"I have question." Naruto raised his hand, but didn't bother waiting for approval before speaking out again. "Both Shikamaru and Choji as your disciples because you've been teaching them two entirely different styles! Am I responsible for learning everything, or just a single type of fighting during these extra lessons?"

Asuma took a deep breath and took a cigarette out of his pocket, gently cradling it between his index and middle finger. "Well that's a tricky question." He began with a crafty expression. "I guess you could say that it really depends on how much you want to learn from me as a teacher, or how long and hard you're willing to work in order to master the martial arts."

The blonde boy looked confused by this vague and somewhat unorthodox answer. "Wait a minute, what do you mean by that? I thought that the dojo's number one disciple was supposed to learn one style from each master?"

"That's certainly how it works, but I'm not the kind of guy to force my teachings on anyone if they don't want to learn it. My father Hiruzen specialized in the Chinese martial arts while my late mother Biwako preferred more contemporary styles of fighting. Over the years, I learned a bunch of different martial arts from both of them, and it made me what some would call a jack-of-all-trades."

"Oh, so you're a lot like Master Kakashi, right? He also knows a ton of different fighting styles too!" Naruto piped up, earning a shrug from his newest teacher.

The man lit his cigarette and took a nice long breath before answering. "I guess you could ay that, although Kakashi spent a lot of time traveling around the world to learn his skills while I was trained by both parents. Maybe we should get back to the question you asked first." He let out a mouthful of smoke and took another puff. "I'm willing to teach you as much as you want, so long as you're willing to learn from me. That's all there is to it… Plain and simple!"

"You mean I could quite right not if I wanted?" the blonde disciple asked slyly.

"That's just fine with me, although you would probably lose your status as the top pupil if you decided to roll over and die before even making an attempt. We chose you for this believing that you would be the least likely take the easy way out. I hope you won't prove we were wrong, seeing how you would probably upset the others."

Naruto pursed his upper lip. "Your not really giving me a choice, are you?"

Shikamaru actually looked amused by this statement. "Looks like he's finally getting into it. Huh, Asuma?"

The master nodded before clapping his hands together prompting the three disciples to stand up. Their newest member took a second to realize what it meant before copying the others. "All right boys, now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way, we can begin this training session for real! Any more questions before we begin?"

"I have one quick question!" Choji added in suddenly, earning a polite gesture from his teacher. "Since we practice so many different disciplines under you, which style of fighting do you intend to show Naruto first?"

"The fighting styles that you and Shikamaru have been learning are two of my favorites as well as the ones in which I have the most experience. There's plenty of time later to delve into some of the others, but since this is the main focus of the training we undergo on a daily basis, we'll start with boxing and Hun Gar."

"So where do we begin?" Naruto questioned with an eager expression.

Asuma acknowledged the boy by pointing to the ring. "One of the principles I like to utilize in my training is the art of imitation. First you need to see some of the basics performed in front of you before you can actually try it for yourself. I would normally guide new students through each step of the process as a starting point, but since you're an experienced fighter I've decided to have my main disciples spar with you."

The orange-clad teenager jumped the rope and landed in the fighting ring, pumping his fists out in an attempt to emulate a boxer. "All right then… Gimme somebody!"

The master nodded to his first apprentice, prompting Shikamaru to act. Rather than leaping over the poles, the relaxed disciple sauntered over to the square and ducked below the ropes, taking up a stance in the opposite corner. He moved back and forth and shifted his feet around, raising his fists with a sleepy look in his eyes. Although the genius looked just as lazy as normal, the sense of boredom that he naturally exuded made it seem almost like he was making fun of his sparring partner. Naruto copied the stance and made a few punching motions with his arms again, a look of excitement filling his light features.

"The point of this match is for you to learn by watching my movements." Shikamaru cracked his neck into place, his mannerisms suddenly becoming more focused.

Asuma placed his hand above the bell on the side of the ring, a smirk appearing on his face as he saw Naruto's poor attempts to mimic a boxer. "Hey newbie! You really should be using the discipline that you're most comfortable with for this match. I wouldn't recommend using that bad imitation unless you wanna be knocked before you learn anything."

"He's right!" Choji called out to his friend. "Shikamaru may not be the most motivated guy in the world, but he knows how to handle himself in a fight!"

"Don't go easy on him, just hit 'em either everything you got, champ!" the master ordered.

The genius let out a sigh. "What a drag, looks like I don't have much of a choice now." He looked up at his sparring partner, a certain glint flashing in his eyes. "Since Asuma's not letting me slip out of this fight, I hope you're prepared."

Naruto cracked his knuckles together and took a stance indicative of Jiraiya's Northern Shaolin style. "Never been more ready for anything before… Just bring it on!"

"Three… Two… One!" Asuma struck the bell, with the side of his hand, causing the two combatants to charge. "Begin!"

Several hours later…

Sasuke had assembled a meeting of his inner circle in Team Hebi's base the hooded figure once again lining the sides of their meeting hall while the Devil Fist sat on the raised platform. The assembled fighters had been debating what to do for almost an hour now, quietly muttering amongst themselves in an attempt to devise a suitable plan to crush their enemies. The young Uchiha had sat in silence for most of the session, his legs crossed and his hands positioned comfortably on his knees. Even a man of his composure had been intrigued by the outcome of the previous day's battle, although his reaction to the news had been much more tame than that of his colleagues.

One of the cloaked figures suddenly removed his hood, revealing a stern face with a pasty pale complexion, shoulder length white hair, cold green eyes, and a pair of red dots on his forehead. His lower eyelids were marked with red lines and he wore a dreary emotionless expression that frightened most who looked upon him. Two locks of his hair on each side of his face were held in place by tube-like ornaments. Kimimaro Kaguya was known as one of the most powerful of the Six Demons, and was given control of Team Hebi's most fearsome enforcers.

He stepped forward with a cold expression, having grown tired of the deliberation. "This is all Suigetsu's fault for allowing himself to be defeated in battle. If he had only followed orders, we might have been able to avoid this current predicament." He stated coldly, earning a chortle from the girl standing across from him.

Karin found the situation most intriguing and simply shrugged it off. "I won't pretend that he didn't deserve it, being the impulsive idiot that he was. I say that shark-faced cretin simply received the punishment he had coming for a long time. Just call it a taste of karma!"

The mammoth sized man stand closest to their leader removed his hood, revealing a surprisingly calm looking face with fiery eyes and a thick mane of spiky orange hair. "Call it whatever you want, but after seeing his injuries, it would seem that Suigetsu will be out of commission for quite some time."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Jugo." Sasuke replied, his eyes devoid of emotion as ever.

"Would you care to enlighten us, leader?" Kimimaro questioned with a cold infection.

The Uchiha hesitated for a moment, but decided it would be all right to reveal a little bit of what happened. "On my personal request, the Great Serpent God himself agreed to personally tend to Suigetsu's wounds. With the help of our master, I'm confident that our sword-wielding friend will be fit for duty again soon enough… Assuming he survives, that is."

"Personally, I still don't get why you seem so keen on forgiving him anyway." The smallest cloaked figure replied. "I warned him against doing anything irrational before he engaged the enemy, and yet he still refused to heed your orders. Normally such an action would be grounds for immediate punishment."

The Devil Fist looked over at him with an indifferent expression. "His life is still valuable to me, so there is no reason to kill him yet." He rationalized calmly. "Suigetsu also survived the beating he received from Hermit and managed to deliver most of the information I requested. Because of this, I am willing to overlook his blatant disregard for the rules just this once."

Karin placed her hands on her hips and swiveled her lower half with a pout. "What exactly did you learn from him that could be so important?"

"This interests me as well." Kimimaro added in with an inquisitive expression. "Perhaps you would be so kind as to explain to the rest of us?"

"I intended to share this information to begin with." Sasuke added dismissively, his eyes moving over the assembled fighters. "According to the information gathered by Suigetsu's spies, several of my suspicions have been confirmed. It would appear that all six of Konoha's disciples are currently attending Kouryou High together."

"We all guessed as much…" the red-haired girl straightened her spectacles with an amused look. "Suigetsu's actions only served to clarify that which we had expected."

The Devil Fist remained impassive to her. "You seem to forget the reason why I picked him for this particular mission. You see, I not only knew he would probably cause some commotion, I expected him to. In reality, I dispatched Suigetsu to test the strength of our targets, because was an pawn whose movements were easiest to anticipate."

"From what you told us, he didn't get a chance to attack the disciples of Konoha." Jugo added.

"Perhaps not, but he did clash with Hermit, the former Sixth Fist of Ragnarok." Their leader replied in an unshakably calm tone. "Our sources claim that Natsu Tanimoto was the one who defeated Berserker, the Second Fist and the fiercest of Odin's subordinates. This would probably make him the second most powerful of the Shinpaku next to their leader, Kenichi Shirahama."

Karin smirked at the thought, her eyes twinkling with a sense of madness. "Oh, I get where you're going with this. The fact that Suigetsu came very close to eliminating one of our strongest targets means that we currently have the resources to wipe out the enemy's forces. Not to mention that he also managed to deal a blow to the Shinpaku by temporarily removing Hermit from the equation."

"Wait a moment." The smaller figure standing beside her addressed the group. "I thought our original idea was to recruit the members of the Shinpaku Alliance into Team Hebi, and then use them as weapons against the disciples of Konoha."

"Perhaps, but the several reports from our subordinates indicate that all of them refused our little invitations." Sasuke answered with a note of indifference. "Nevertheless, you'll find that we are no longer in desperate need of recruiting new members into our ranks. Thanks to the actions of the mighty Serpent God and myself, this problem has been remedied."

Before they could question his meaning, the sound of footsteps could be heard from behind the curtain leading into the room, prompting several of Team Hebi's elites to shift around uneasily. Four more figures emerged from the drapes, each wearing the black cloak to signify their rank among the organization. This sudden revelation surprised the assembled fighters, particularly Karin, who was not so keen on sharing her current position of power with anyone else. Two of them were clearly women, while the remaining pair both possessed a taller, more muscular physique, indicating that they were men.

Sasuke stood up and motioned for them to step forward. "I would like to introduce you to our newest recruits. From this day forward, the group ruling elites in charge of Team Hebi will now be known as the Ten Demons."

"Nice looking place you got here, if only you would turn on the lights." One of the men revealed his face to the others, his beast-like eyes scanning the room carefully.

Karin immediately recognized his face. "Is that Kiba Inuzuka, the undefeated champion of the underground fighting arena?" she looked slightly shocked.

He nodded and smiled, revealing his fang-like teeth. "So, even the members of Team Hebi know my name. If you guys weren't such lowlifes I might actually be flattered."

"Is that any way to speak to your new teammates?" Sasuke replied with an emotionless stare.

Kiba made eye contact with the other man for a second, and in that moment he felt his body tense up. Although he had no idea what it was, there was something about being in the Devil Fist's presence that made him feel uneasy. The dog kung fu user was by no means a coward, but just staring into those cold empty eyes and feeling the ruthless killing intent that Sasuke constantly gave off, made even him cringe in discomfort. He quickly fought to control the urge and swallowed the lump in his throat as he turned his head away from the man sitting on the raised platform.

"Don't forget what I told you." The underground champion bore his teeth. "I only agreed to join this gang because you beat me in a fight. That doesn't mean I have to smile like an idiot and make friends with your stupid underlings."

"Watch your mouth, kid!" Karin aimed a kick at his head, forcing her new colleague to leap backwards and spin around.

The dog-like man actually smiled, looking highly entertained. "And here I was thinking this would be a waste of time… Not a bad kick, but I'm still not impressed!" She took a step back as he swung a claw-like hand at his face.

Although he didn't manage to draw blood, a series of marks appeared on her right cheek. The redhead cried out with a mix of anger and pain, apparently shocked by his speed. "You're not so bad…" After calming down a bit, Karin took a fighting stance. "Congratulations asshole, you just earned my full attention!"

"That's quite enough of that…" Sasuke raised a hand, causing them both to back down. "There's no need for us to fight! You should all be familiar with the rules!"

"Like I give a crap about your fucking rules!" Kiba shot back nastily, his annoyance flaring up.

The animalistic fighter turned to leave the room, but the sound of his new boss leaping from the elevated platform caused him to freeze up again. The Uchiha stepped forward slowly, his footsteps echoing through the dingy room in an eerie manner as he stood beside the newcomer. His subordinates fell quiet again almost as if they were afraid to move, a murmur of discontent filling the area as he placed a hand on Kiba's shoulder. The boy felt a sense of dread and found it hard to even look back at his adversary. Fear was largely an unfamiliar emotion to him, but he had a feeling that this was precisely what it was supposed to feel like.

Sasuke leaned forward and calmly addressed the boy without even raising his voice. "Please, take a seat…" he gestured to a chair.

"If you insist…" Kiba let out a soft growl and sat down, his own killing intent apparent.

In the blink of an eye, the Devil Fist had returned to his seat and gestured for the remaining three newcomers to step forward. "Now then, allow me introduce our remaining companions." He paused and cleared his throat. "These others are all disciples handpicked by our master for his martial arts experiments. He deemed them worthy to join our ranks and turned them over to me for use in our upcoming plans."

"What do you plan for us to do now?" Karin asked with a hint of annoyance.

"Since we have gauged their strength and the Shinpaku Alliance refuses to become a part of Team Hebi, I see no more reason to allow them to live." Sasuke withdrew a pair of photographs from his robe and tossed them onto the floor. "These pictures are of Kenichi Shirahama and Haruo Nijima, the two leaders of this gang. My sources indicate that they are the glue that binds their team together."

"So in laments terms, you need us to eliminate them." Kimimaro deduced calmly, his eyes boring into the images on the ground.

The Devil Fist nodded slowly, his gaze settled on the shortest member of their group, his eyes glowing with malice. "Since I allowed you a free pass on the last mission, there will be no such option this time." He stated coldly, causing the boy to shift uneasily. "I need you to lead a team onto the school grounds tomorrow and kill both of our targets as efficiently as possible."

"You're not giving me a choice this time, are you?" the cloaked figure questioned.

"No… None whatsoever." Sasuke replied before turning to the others. Since we have some new recruits, you may take one of them along to test their abilities in he field. You may borrow whatever manpower you require for this mission and act as you desire, so long as the job is taken care of. Do you understand, Haku?"

The boy hesitated for a moment before removing his hood, revealing his beautiful face and long dark hair. "If anyone else gets in the way, what should I do?"

His superior shrugged off the question with a sense of disconnectedness. "I don't care what happens to anyone else, including your subordinates. Just make sure that you don't mess this up, or I will personally see to your punishment."

Haku fell on one knee and lowered his head. "The deed shall be done, Devil Fist."

Note to Readers: Not much happened this chapter, mostly just minor plot movement and some setting he stage for the next clash. Although at least you finally know who it was that was hesitant to get involved with Sasuke's murderous plans. Although he lacks Suigetsu's monstrous strength, Haku is a much more tactful fighter who uses a different type of style. Read next chapter to find out what it is.

As for Team Hebi recruiting new people, don't worry, you'll find out soon enough who they are. Two of them are characters affiliated with Orochimaru, although some of you might have guessed who one of them is already. Obviously Kiba's just involved because he made a promise as a fighter, but you can tell he doesn't want to serve Sasuke. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. As usual I'm sorry if there's some typos, or errors in spelling and grammar, but typically write chapters for my stories late at night.

Got any suggestions, then keep them coming! Please feel free to comment if you liked something, want to see something happen, or have any guesses or predictions as to what will happen next! Don't forget to **REVIEW**! It really motivates me to keep working on this story!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Operation Eliminate Shinpaku**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto of History's Strongest Disciple: Kenichi or any affiliated characters or logos. This story is made strictly for fun, not profit.

It was afternoon at Kouryou High, and Naruto was sitting outside waiting for his friends to return from their club meetings. He wasn't thrilled with being placed on guard duty, although it had partially been his own fault for speaking out during their last meeting. Since Lee, Shikamaru and Choji didn't want the job, he had been waiting on the school grounds each afternoon for the last week. Not only was it boring to sit around and do nothing for an hour, he was also constantly approached by Shinpaku members begging him to join their fighting group.

To make matters worse, they hadn't seen any action in that entire span of time. Their first two days of school had been Hell with enemies attacking, but lately everything had become stagnant again. Shikamaru had insisted that he keep a lookout while the girls were at their club meetings, but it had been over a week and Team Hebi hadn't so much as threatened them let alone made a move to attack. The blonde fighter was never known for being the most patient individual, but this sudden quiet had made him uneasy and even a little bit paranoid. It was an odd combination of boredom and irritation that drove him to this.

The top disciple stood had been wandering the grounds for several minutes now, occasionally making stops to rest. It was maddening that the enemy had been so fearsome when they first arrived, and now seemed keen on ignoring them. As these thoughts shifted through his mind, Naruto felt someone tapping him on the back, prompting him to jump a few feet in the air. He instinctively swung a fist over his shoulder, causing a familiar blue-haired man behind him to duck and sidestep out of his reach.

"Take it easy kid, I didn't come here to pick a fight!" Takeda waved his hands defensively, a joking, carefree expression present on his face.

"Oh, it's just the blue-haired weirdo." Naruto made a distasteful expression as he turned to face the taller man. "I already told that alien guy that I'm not interested in joining up with your little gang. Tell your crazy boss he can take the offer and shove it."

"What an insult calling that pointy-eared freak, our leader." He leaned against the nearby wall, absentmindedly chewing on the end of a piece of grass. "It's just like Kenichi said before… The rest of us don't really have an interest in Nijima's idiotic schemes, we just use the Shinpaku as a means of sticking together as friends and fellow martial artists."

Naruto narrowed his eyes with a clueless expression. "All right, if you didn't come here to annoy me, then would you care to explain why you were following me around just now?"

"Don't go getting all paranoid on me. I was just passing by when I realized you've been skulking around this spot the last few days and was starting to wonder why."

Although the blonde fighter wasn't particular thrilled to see a member of the Shinpaku Alliance, he was relieved to have someone around to talk to besides the wall and quickly seized the chance. "My friends and I have been pretty jumpy since the whole Team Hebi attack started last week. My buddy Shikamaru figured it would be a good idea if one of stayed behind and kept watch while Sakura and Ino were at their club meetings after school. It was just my luck that they saddled me with the job."

Takeda let out a light-hearted chuckle as he considered this. "Let me guess, you opened your big mouth and accidentally volunteered for the post. C'mon, tell me I'm right."

"Yeah, maybe… I don't know why I'm talking to you to begin with." Naruto replied grudgingly. The younger fighter placed his hands behind his head and leaned back slightly, gently exhaling slowly in an attempt to relax. After a moment, he shrugged and turned back to face his unwanted company. "I've got more important things to worry about, being Konoha's top disciple and all."

"Oh yeah, you're that bigmouth kid who said he wanted to be the world's greatest fighter." The blue-haired man began with a smile. "Since your masters obviously consider you to be the best disciple out of the lot, you must get some pretty sweet privileges, am I right? My pal Kenichi's the big fish at Ryozanpaku, and he gets six awesome masters all to himself."

The blonde fighter sighed, although his expression remained cheerful. "It's pretty cool… Most of the masters from my dojo still have their own disciples to teach, but as the number one dude they also have to teach me their techniques too. I've also got a ton of back-breaking training to worry about, and it's beginning to drive me nuts after just the first week."

Takeda spit out the blade of grass in his mouth. "For a dude who screams out his goals for the entire world to hear, you don't sound so enthusiastic about the effort it takes to reach them."

Naruto's expression suddenly turned sour. "I don't even know why I'm talking to you." He said before turning his head away from the boxer. "I met you and your buddies randomly during first period, and all of sudden you're asking me a bunch of random questions!"

"It's called bring sociable, kid." The other man replied with a pointing gesture, his optimistic demeanor remaining undaunted. "Sometimes making conversation with a stranger can result in friendship. Besides, from what you were saying earlier, I can tell that neither of us have anything better to do right now anyway."

"Speaking of which, what're you doing standing around after school like a creep? I thought all of you Shinpaku guys held up in the chemistry lab."

"I'm just waiting for my buddy Ukita to finish at the Judo club. Nijima recommended we watch each other's backs until this mess with those Hebi guys is finally over. They threatened to kill all of us if we didn't join, and we've got a feeling they weren't just joking around after seeing what happened to Natsu Tanimoto last week."

"Looks like these jerks are targeting everyone who can fight." Naruto clenched his fists, his own excitement welling up as he realized something. "If you're worried, that must mean you're a big time fighter too!"

"And one of the best in this school, I might add!" Takeda replied with an immodest grin.

Despite having disliked the upperclassman only moments ago, Naruto found himself suddenly interested in hearing more. Back at the dojo, Master Jiraiya always described him as the disciple with the most tenacity and the deepest dedication, which was partially why the eight masters had chosen him as the one destined to inherit all of their techniques. The others enjoyed practicing their respective styles, by the blonde-haired knucklehead had a certain interest and desire to be the best that none of the others possessed. Upon remembering that the man standing nearby was also a fighter, he naturally found himself hungry for more information.

Before he could inquire about this, the boy realized that he never even introduced himself to the man formally. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, although I don't remember catching your name last time."

"You didn't because I never told it to you." The other man replied with a casual shrug. "If you wanna know, the name's Ikki Takeda. They call me the puncher, because of my powerful left jab and my super-cool fighting style."

"Speaking of which, what kind of martial arts do you study?" Naruto leaned forward with a look of anticipation.

Takeda clenched his hands into fists and swung at the air in front of him before answering. "I've been a boxer for a long time now. There was even a time when I was in line for the pro-circuit, but a nasty accident outside of the ring ruined my chances for that."

The blonde-haired disciple leaned against a railing in the schoolyard with a calm expression. "It looks like you're doing fine now." When the other man didn't answer right away, he stared off into the sky for a moment, lazily watching a flock of birds fly by before working up the nerve to continue the conversation. "So, why did you give up your dream of being a professional?"

"Let's just say that I ran into some trouble not exactly far off from what we're experiencing right now. During the accident, some dumbass smashed my left arm and left it paralyzed, and it wasn't until recently that I finally got the feeling back."

Naruto scratched his head with an innocently puzzled look. "Are you saying that the injury was temporary or something?"

"Nope, far from it!" Takeda refuted with a cheerful expression. "Akisame Koetsuji, one of the masters of Ryozanpaku, examined me after I lost a fight with Kenichi. He told me I must've had a crappy doctor and managed to restore the mobility in my left arm after a long, painful process. Can't say it was the biggest thrill of my life, but being able to box again was worth all of the bumps I ran into along the way!"

"That's actually a cool story." The younger student replied, looking genuinely impressed for the first time since their conversation began. "Another thing I noticed is that you said you managed to fight that Shirahama kid before your arm was fixed. Does that mean you took him on with only one hand?"

The blue-haired fighter nodded. "Yup, and I had him on the ropes for a while too. Although it's not all that impressive considering was over a dozen times weaker than he is now back when we first clashed. I was pretty impressed by the power of his moves, even back then. Even with one hand I was still tough enough to take down about ten guys single-handedly."

"Even if the enemy doesn't have any real skills, you must be pretty tough to be able to fight with a handicap." The blonde fighter commented, looking like he was enjoying himself.

The boxer's expression became more serious while still retaining his jovial nature. "I was a delinquent when I lost to Kenichi, but getting the feeling back in my arm was the best thing that ever happened to me. Even though I didn't deserve his help, that kid saved my life and brought me back to Ryozanpaku for treatment. I'll never be able to repay him for letting me box again!"

Naruto grinned while batting him a thumbs-up. "I may not know you all that well, but you've definitely got the spirit of a true martial artist!"

"Thanks… I think…" Takeda ran a hand through his hair. "If all your bragging is any indication, I'm guessing you're probably not so bad either."

"That gives me an awesome idea!" the younger student smirked again, his excitement growing by the minute. "You wanna see what I've got, then what do you say we go a few rounds right here right now? Since we've got nothing better to do right now, why not try some good old-fashioned sparring?"

The blue-haired upperclassman considered him for a moment before nodding. "All right kid, if that's the way you wanna play it then I guess I'm in." Takeda reached into his sleeve and withdrew a small piece of white chalk. He ran around drawing a square on the concrete before pocketing the utensil and placing an egg timer on the ground.

Naruto raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What is this supposed to be, a boxing match?"

"Street fights are fun, but nothing says sportsmanship like a good old fashioned boxing ring." The older student replied with a smile as he stepped over the line. "Since you called the match, I get to call the conditions. We'll play this game as two rounds out of three! Each round goes to whoever can score a ring out, and a knockout makes it an instant victory!"

"No problem, my buddy Shikamaru's also a boxer, and I've been practicing with him in a real fighting ring back at the dojo. His teacher Asuma specializes in a load of hard-hitting styles!"

Takeda looked intrigued at this. "Surprising that you guys have got a master-class boxer at your dojo, but having a teacher doesn't necessarily mean you're a better fighter than me!" he shrugged absent-mindedly before making a challenging gesture with his hand. "So knucklehead, you ready to step into the ring?"

Naruto jumped over the line and took a fighting stance. "I'm ready when you are, blue-hair!"

"All right, let's start!" he replied with a look of anticipation. "Ready, set… Go!"

Naruto rooted his stance to the ground and began with a sweeping kick, forcing his opponent to jump back to avoid it. He righted his position and thrust his leg forward to strike again, but Takeda countered by throwing his first forward. His hand collided painfully with the other man's foot, causing them both to stumble as the force of the impact sent them staggering backwards away from each other. It was rare that someone could punch with enough force to repel a flying kick, yet this man had done so with ease. The boxer was definitely a skilled fighter in his own right, although he lacked that certain sense of grace.

The blonde disciple quickly noted that his current sparring partner was a much more aggressive fighter than Shikamaru had been. Despite both men using the same style of fighting, Takeda seemed to go more for power, while Konoha's genius specialized in evasive maneuvers. During his previous fights back at the dojo, the lazy disciple had favored footwork over force, instead exploiting the use of careful movements to dance around attacks while waiting for an opening. In comparison, the blue-haired fighter charged straight into the fray and appeared to be trying to smash through his frontal guard.

"You've got a good kick and some awesome moves. I'm actually impressed so far." Takeda replied as he jabbed with his right arm repeatedly.

Naruto ducked and sidestepped each strike with relative ease. "You've got a lot of power and speed behind your fists, but those leg movements could use some work!"

"Thanks for the advice, but you ain't seen nothing yet!" The older fighter swung a few more times with his right, a smile lighting his features as he began alternating swings between both hands. "You've seen what the right can do, now take a taste of my lethal left!"

Takeda shot his arm forward with blindly speed, his movement too fast for his opponent to properly dodge. The blonde disciple was briefly reminded of Lee's lightning fast movements as he raised his arm to block, using the side of his wrist to absorb the impact of the strike. Naruto followed up by extending his own arm outwards and pulling the boxer into a joint lock, thrusting his left arm forward into a fast punch that connected to his adversary's stomach. The force of his own blow knocked the blue-haired fighter off his feet, pushing him outside the boundaries set down by the chalk lines.

The boxer stood up with a look of surprise, realizing that his enemy had purposely held back with that last hit. It made him a little bit angry that the blonde boy was so tough, but lately he had been feeling the same type of inferiority around the alliance's heavy hitters like Kenichi and Tanimoto. Despite this jealousy, he was also quite happy to have met such a strong opponent. Takeda gently rubbed the section of his stomach where he was hit, looking somewhat amused by how swiftly he had been lost the round. As he approached the ring, his egg timer went off again.

"Looks like I win!" Naruto pumped his fists in the air and stomped the ground triumphantly.

"You've got some really awesome moves… I can definitely see how you beat me in the first round." Takeda congratulated him with a cheerful expression. "Of course you're getting pretty cocky considering that was still only the first fight. We're doing two out of three, remember?"

Naruto cracked his fingers and neck with a similar expression, a wide grin appearing on his face as he imitated the boxer's challenging gesture from earlier. "So puncher dude, you ready for the second round, or are you gonna throw in the towel before I kick your butt again?"

"Nope, not a chance…" The boxer did a small skip over the chalk line and raised his fists again, taking a moment to exercise his wrists by doing a few punching motions.

"Bring it on dude! I'm ready for anything you've got!" he cried out excitedly.

"Just because you're a good martial artist, doesn't mean I plan on surrendering when there's still two rounds left until it's over. Giving up isn't the kind of thing a real fighter would do, no matter how hopeless the situation looks."

"That's just what I was gonna say!" Konoha's top disciple replied as he crouched down and took his classic Shaolin stance. "All right, let's finish this!"

Meanwhile…

Since Izumi had been absent from school, the gardening club was reduced back to two members for the duration of the afternoon. Kenichi stood in the corner potting a series of new plants while the group's newest member watered the flowerbeds and tended the seedlings. Ino whistled to herself as she worked diligently, all the while wondering about her fellow gardener. He hardly seemed like the type to be a fighter, and yet she had seen for herself just how strong the boy was firsthand. Most of the martial artists she knew had a certain edge to their personality, but the person standing behind her seemed pure and harmless like the flowers she was tending.

After wiping the sweat from her brow, she decided to voice her thoughts. "Hey Kenichi, I was just curious about something."

The brown-haired disciple set down the plant he was holding and smiled back at her. "Sure thing… What's on your mind, Ino?"

"Nothing really, it was just something that just came to mind." She began with a note of hesitation, causing him to cock his head to the side innocently. "I know this might be a personal question, but I was wondering why someone like you wanted to become a martial artist."

"Someone like me…" Kenichi pondered with a mingled sense of embarrassment and curiosity.

Ino felt a sense of shame in the pit of her stomach and quickly waved aside the notion. "It's nothing bad." She burst out quickly in n attempt remedy her lack of thought. "It's surprising to me that you became the number one disciple of Ryozanpaku, since you don't seem like the type of person that would be into the martial arts. You always seem so calm and innocent, like a rabbit or a bird" the girl took a moment to berate herself for sound stupid. "I don't know, what I'm trying to say is…"

"Relax… I get it." The boy raised a hand to stop her from flustering herself before bashfully scratching the back of his head. "You're not the first person to say this about me. As a matter of fact, my own masters have told me that I have no aptitude for martial arts whatsoever."

The blonde girl looked slightly affronted. "That's a pretty horrible thing to say, especially since you've got some really good moves."

Kenichi put away a watering can he was holding and took a seat on a crate, taking a moment to exhale a breath he had been holding in. "I may have gotten pretty far in learning how to fight, but that doesn't mean I have any talent for it."

"So then how did you get so good at fighting?" she asked with an excited look.

"The only reason I managed to get this far is because my masters put me through Hell on a daily basis. I guess you could say that in my case, hard work trumps talent… The only reason I can fight so well is because I'm willing to put in that extra work in order to reach my goals."

She took a moment to take all of this in and smiled. Most of the students at Konoha were from strong lines of martial artists whose clans had been honing their own styles of fighting for years. The purpose of the dojo was to house these young hopefuls and train them to maximize their potential abilities to extremes by apprenticing the students to gifted masters. Although the people of Konoha had nothing against ordinary students signing up, it wasn't something that happened very often due to the school's reputation as a place where only the strongest gather.

"I came from a family that practiced the martial arts regularly, so my father always made note of my inbred talent as a fighter." Ino replied with a calm expression, her blue eyes wandering off as she thought of home. After a moment, her focus returned and she smiled. "I guess you might say that my own experiences don't exactly match up to yours!"

"No, apparently not… My career's been full of losses, and a lot of them are more humiliating than you could possibly imagine." The boy replied with a note of exasperation.

The new club member took a moment to turn off the water and put away the hose, since she had finished watering the plants for the day. "That's really not such a bad thing." She began with a reassuring expression. "A fighter gains a lot more experience from losing a battle than winning, because they learn from their mistakes. That's what my master always says whenever she spars with me and kicks my butt."

Kenichi rubbed the side of his head as he remembered his last practice. "Well, at least your master doesn't punch you headfirst through brick walls by accident. My Muay Thai teacher does his best to hold back, but he usually gets a little carried away."

"No wonder you got so strong! Sounds like the martial arts weren't taught to you, more like hammered into you." The girl added with a nervous look.

"Seriously, you don't know the half of it." He added with a pained expression, his hand subconsciously nursing the spot where Apachai struck him yesterday.

The two club members shared a small laugh, but Ino paused when she realized something important. She took a moment to clear her throat and worked up the nerve before voicing her thoughts again. "Come to think of it, you never did answer me what I asked why you started training in the martial arts… You don't mind me asking, do you?"

"No, it's fine." Kenichi replied, his eyes wandering off for a moment as he considered the question. He remembered discussing the same thing once before with Kensei's daughter Renka, although it was certainly a personal topic. "Do you promise not to tell anyone if I answer you?"

"You don't need to worry about that. My lips are sealed…" Ino placed a finger to her mouth with a sincere nod.

Kenichi took a deep breath and blushed slightly as several memories began replaying in his mind. "Well, I guess you could say it all really started when I was just a kid." He began with a nostalgic smile. "Years ago I saw a girl protect an innocent woman from some thugs using her fighting skills, and it made me realize that the martial arts could be used to protect those I care about most in this world. Less than a year ago I met this same girl again, and saw her fight off delinquents without even hesitating. Anyone else would have been scared to get involved, but she jumped right without any fear at all."

"I see…" she replied with a thoughtful expression, her own gaze wandering off again.

The blonde thought for a minute, quietly considering his entire story. While she noted that several points he had made were ambiguous, it was only natural since this was obviously a big part of his life. It was simple, and yet Ino could tell that he had a deep desire to protect other people using his skills. Thinking back to what he had done for Lee the previous week, it made a lot of sense that Kenichi would be that type of person. Her thoughts returned to a conversation she had with Sakura a few days ago about the boy sitting next to her, and in that brief moment, everything seemed to come together like the pieces of a puzzle.

"Are you okay?" Kenichi waved a hand in front of her face, causing the girl to look back at him.

"No worries, I was just thinking about everything you said just now." Ino stood up and turned to face him with a knowing smile. "My friends are in your homeroom class, and one of them told me that the girl you're always hanging around with is the granddaughter of Hayato Furinji."

"She's got some pretty amazing talent." He replied with a soft smile.

Ino ignored his last comment. "The girl you met that inspired you to become stronger all those years ago… She wouldn't happen to be the same person you were talking about, would she?"

"I guess you got me…" he replied with a nervous expression, his eyes staring into his lap. "I know it sounds silly, but what I really want is to be strong enough to protect her. Miu's a much better fighter than I'll ever be, but it doesn't stop me from striving for my goal."

Ino turned her back on him for a moment, looking touched that he cared so much about those around him. "Keep going! I'm sure you have what it takes and then some!" she encouraged her fellow gardener.

"Thanks a lot, Ino… I really appreciate it." Kenichi replied, looking a little less bummed out to have found someone else to talk to.

The blonde fighter walked over to a cabinet and put away the bag of soil. "What are friends for?" she added casually.

Although it seemed like the conversation should have continued, they instead took the next few minutes to clean up for the day. Ino finished wrapping up the hose and rearranged several of the plants that her new friends had been working on so that they would receive the proper amount of sunlight and attention. After pulling a few weeds out of the new flowerbed and spraying some liquid fertilizer on the ground, Kenichi collected all of the gardening tools and deposited them tin one of the crates littering the floor of the greenhouse. As they prepared to head out, the sound of footsteps caught their attention.

"Looks out!" Ino cried, pushing her fellow club member to the ground as a series of shuriken soared over their heads.

Ryozanpaku's disciple panicked slightly as he saw the blades embedded in the leg of a nearby table. The blonde-haired girl sitting on top of him pushed him away as she rolled sideways to avoid a kunai knife aimed at her back, her eyes narrowing as she caught sight of the source. A hooded figure garbed in a long black cloak stood at the door of the greenhouse, a series of shuriken in one hand, and a kunai knife in the other. Bother of his targets stood up and took fighting positions, but to their surprise, the attacker peacefully lowered his hands and stepped away from them.

"Who are you, and why are you trying to attack us?" the blonde girl took a step towards him cautiously, her temper rising.

"Forgive me for that, I had no intention of harming you." Them mystery man explained with a genuinely apologetic tone. "My quarrel is with that boy standing beside you, I have no desire to involve anyone else unless they interfere."

Ino stomped her foot on the ground and raised her hands. "Like Hell you don't!" she screamed, only to be stopped by her fellow club member.

Kenichi held out his arm to stop his new friend, his gaze settling on her a second later. "If he's here for me, there's no reason for you to put yourself in danger." He replied sternly. She opened her mouth to yell at him, but he quickly addressed the enemy. "I get it that you want to fight me, but would you care to explain why?"

"People know me as one of the Demons of Team Hebi." The cloaked figure put his weapons away and nodded calmly. "It was not my desire to force the issue, but the Devil Fist gave me direct orders to seal your fate. It is not my place to decline."

"If you don't want to do it, then why are you even a part of this gang?" Ryozanpaku's disciple questioned.

The mystery man hesitated for a moment. "As a member of the syndicate, it is my duty to obey the orders of the superior. My reasons for serving Team Hebi are my own."

"If you want to take out Kenichi, you'll have to take me on to! Members of the gardening club always stick together!" Ino fired up instantly, he fighting spirit flaring around her. "I'll take you on right here if you want, so long as you promise not to ruin the plants!"

Kenichi saw the enemy tense up and quickly stepped between them. "So long as we don't fight in a place where other people could get hurt, I'll accept your challenge as a martial artist! Are you willing to agree to these terms, or not?"

Their enemy nodded in agreement. "I also have no desire to harm to innocent… Follow me and I promise you that no one else will be harmed."

The brown-haired disciple made a move to follow the hooded man, but Ino grabbed him by the wrist to stop him. "You know that this is probably one of their traps, right?"

"I'll be fine." He added reassuringly before pulling away and following the cloaked man and his subordinates.

Ino watched them leave with a pensive expression, although she also decided it was time to do a little digging of her own in the meantime. The blonde fighter was sure that there was probably more going on right now, and although she was confident that Kenichi could handle himself just fine, the idea of this being a trap made it difficult for her to sit around and do nothing. Since most after school activities were probably finished by now, she decided to meet up with Naruto and Sakura and then decide what to do once everyone was together. In her mind things were bound to get ugly, and she wasn't the type to just ignore it.

As she ran from the greenhouse looking for her fellow Konoha disciples, Kenichi followed his enemy up the steps leading to the roof of the school. This particular location was fenced off to prevent anyone from falling, and there was plenty of space to fight without being interrupted by anyone. The brown-haired disciple was overcome with a sense of déjà vu as he remembered the day Takeda had challenged him to a fight in this very same place, and oddly enough his new opponent also seemed to have a similar sense of honor. Kenichi silently wondered how the boy had known this would be a good place to fight.

The cloaked man opened the door to the roof and positioned himself on the other side of the space. "We're here… It's time for us to begin." he stated bluntly.

"Before we start this, just tell me why someone like you would join Team Hebi?" Kenichi asked, causing his opponent to shift uneasily. "You brought me up here to fight so we wouldn't harm anyone else, and you even apologized earlier for putting Ino in danger with your attacks. You don't seem like a bad guy, so why would you be working with these thugs?"

His adversary seemed to hesitate. "Like I said before, people have their own reasons for what they do, and at the moment I don't see why you deserve to know. If you defeat me, perhaps I'd be willing to share this with you."

The boy removed his cloak, revealing long dark hair pulled into a tight bun, leaving large strands to frame the side of his face. His facial features were concealed by the presence of an oval-shaped wooden mask depicting a pair of curved fox-like slit eyes and a red swirl-like pattern where the mouth would normally be, and his basic outfit consisted of a dark bluish green kimono with a white lining and a moss green striped turtleneck sweater underneath. A simple sash held everything in place, and he wore arm warmers in a darker blue color and sandals, giving him a ninja-like appearance.

"I hope you're prepared, Kenichi Shirahama… I regret to inform you that my superior wishes for you to die!" he said while taking a fighting stance.

"What the Hell!" the brown-haired boy's jaw dropped as he registered this last part. "I never agreed to this sort of thing!"

"You agreed to it by challenging a practitioner of the Killing Fist…" The other boy spoke calmly as if he were answering a question. "The philosophy my master taught me claims that a true martial artist must kill their opponent in order to win, because in a real battle, holding back one's own strength in order to preserve the life of the enemy may lead to the death of the person foolish enough to try."

Kenichi raised one hand and extended the other. "My masters always taught me to avoid killing an enemy needlessly."

His opponent considered him for a moment. "I regret having to do this, but I promise to make this as painless and possible. Please do not think badly of me…"

With this, the weapons user tossed fistful of shuriken at his opponent, forcing Ryozanpaku's disciple to dodge and weave to avoid being cut. He remembered doing something similar during his battle with Dosu, Kin, and Zaku, although the three Team Hebi enforcers were much more sloppy and uncoordinated. Although he wasn't the best at weapons training, even Kenichi could see the difference in the skill level between those three grunts and one of the gang's top killers. He was forced to duck to avoid a flying kunai, but as scary as it was, he quickly noted that the opponent was nowhere near as powerful or fast as Shigure.

After exhausting several of his long-range weapons, the masked man reached behind his back and withdrew a tanto from his hidden sheath. The short katana was roughly a foot and a half long with two sharpened sides and no pointed tip, implying that it was mostly used for slicing and cutting rather than stabbing motions. It was custom made, because he disliked using the point to disembowel opponents. Twirling weapon around between his fingers, he tightened his grip and charged forward with incredible speed, swinging the implement in a quick series of complicated movements as he advanced on the rapidly retreating opponent.

"Since you seem to favor close-range combat, allow me to even the playing field." The other man replied emotionlessly as he continued his assault.

"Damn it…" Kenichi moved backwards frantically to avoid being sliced by his opponent's blade, looking shocked that each swing came with such speed and force behind it.

Although the weapon was shorter, the enemy wielded it with such grace and unpredictability, that the reach hardly mattered. He thought back to what Tanimoto had said about Team Hebi's elite fighters and quickly realized firsthand that he hadn't been lying. Not only were they very dangerous, but perfectly willing to kill in order to achieve their goals, making them seem more deadly than the majority of Ragnarok had been. Kenichi did a frenzied leap backwards as his opponent performing a lunging slash, barely managing to escape as the blade shaved a few hairs off of the top of his head.

The fight continued like this for a minute or so until Kenichi finally saw and opening and landed a punch to his enemy's stomach using the principles that Master Sakaki had taught him during their lessons. Using a much force as possible, the blow shot out with the force of a hammer, causing his opponent to crumble under the power, but the masked man had struck at the exact sane time, and managed to score a cut on his shoulder. Feeling the blood leaking out of his wound, the injured boy took a moment to breath, quietly noting that his adversary was still reeling slightly from his own attack.

"It's very rare that someone had managed to strike me while my guard is up." The mystery enemy clutched his stomach, swallowing the pain as he straightened up. "You must have some impressive teachers to have learned how to strike with such tenacity."

Kenichi felt the sting in his left shoulder, causing him to grimace. "I may not like using weapons, but that doesn't mean I've never trained with someone who does!"

"Very interesting to know." His opponent readied himself and raised the tanto over his head in a threatening manner. "My master was also known for his skills with weapons. A trait he passed onto me, his disciple. To fight me without a blade of your own is most impressive. You are truly a worthy opponent, Kenichi Shirahama."

Using the space he had gained with his last attack, the brown-haired disciple finally took to the offensive in an attempt to gain the upper hand. He aimed a series of punches at the other man with all the strength he could muster, but the boy was much faster than he anticipated and continued dancing around his attacks. Kenichi thrust his arm forward in an attempt to land a palm strike to his opponent's center, but was forced to recoil his hand to avoid the ready of the enemy's blade.

He felt a very fine cut on the surface of his hand and realized that reacting even a second later would have had unpleasant results. Thanks to his reflexes he had manages to escape with only a shallow cut, as opposed to the throbbing wound on his shoulder that had come from their previous exchange. Now forced back onto the defensive, he lost his center and was forced to return to his previous method of dodging and countering in an attempt to avoid the blade's reach. He realized he was steadily losing ground to the armed opponent, a feeling of dread entering the pit of his stomach as he felt something bump against his back.

"Oh crap, not now!" the brown-haired disciple realized he was cornered against one of the fences lining the rooftop.

The masked man took a step towards him and raised his weapon. "Please forgive me for what I'm about to do? If it is any consolation, I will do what I can to prevent your friends in the Shinpaku Alliance from experiencing the same fate." He replied before moving his tanto in a slicing motion.

Kenichi felt his blood boil at the thought of his friends being harmed and instinctively swung his fist, catching the flat side of the blade with his arm. Both men were shocked by this sudden change of pace, but he quickly took advantage of the situation and moved into his opponent's personal space, slamming his elbow into the masked man's stomach with as much force as he could muster. The movement caused the enemy to stumbled back in pain, allowing Kenichi to finish the fight with a strike him in the shoulder with a Chinese style chop. He completed the combo by smashing both fists forward in a karate yamatsuki punch.

The powerful move sent his opponent spiraling backwards, causing him to land in a heap several feet away. As he struggled to get back up, Kenichi found himself feeling a little guilty for hitting his opponent so hard. As he bore down upon the shorter man, the sound of footsteps caught their attention. The door leading to the rooftop burst open, revealing the familiar faces of Naruto Uzumaki and Ikki Takeda. While he had half expected Miu to appear, she had actually gone home earlier that afternoon due to her club meeting being cancelled.

"Sheesh, and here I was hoping for some action." Naruto added with a clueless expression.

"Whoa, it looks like you already have the situation taken care of, huh Kenichi?" The boxer replied with a carefree expression, his eyes moving towards the defeated man's form.

"Hey Takeda…" the brown-haired disciple greeted back, his eyes moving towards the other student curiously. "So, what're you doing here, and how come Naruto came with you?"

Naruto grinned cheerfully as he approached. "We were both hanging out waiting for our friends to get out of their clubs, so your buddy started to shoot the breeze. The next thing you know, we were decided to do some sparring. Your buddy's got some skills, but he wasn't a match for me!"

The blue-haired boxer removed his hands in his pockets and shrugged it off. "Turns out this knucklehead is a lot tougher than he looks. He beat me in the first two rounds without breaking a sweat, by scoring a couple of ring-outs. I haven't been this impressed with someone else's skills since that time you pummeled on this same spot."

"We heard the commotion and decided to see what was going on up here." Konoha's top disciple explained as he glanced at the unconscious man. "So, who was this guy anyway?"

"He claims to be one of the Demons of Team Hebi that Nijima mentioned." Kenichi fell silent as his ears picked up a disturbance.

Before any of them could resume the conversation, the defeated man on the ground stirred loudly, his head shifting up to see the source of the noise. The trio of fighters standing across from him stepped back and turned to look at him as the enemy stood up, the splintered remains of his mask sliding off of his face. Naruto and Kenichi were stunned into silence as they caught sight of the man's face, his feminine features and pretty face easily recognizable to anyone who knew him. They both recognized him as the boy who sat in the corner during first period class, although neither would have ever expected something like this.

Naruto closed his mouth, disbelief still apparent on his face. "Haku, is that you?" he asked while observing the struggling man.

"H-Haku Yuki f-from homeroom!" Kenichi stammered slightly with a look of surprise.

Takeda glanced between the others with a bewildered look. "I take it you two know this dude?"

"We're in the same class together, although he was never really the outspoken type." The brown-haired disciple commented with a confounded expression. "I never expected him to be a member of a gang, let alone one of their top fighters."

"It's always the quiet ones…" the boxer added casually as if they were just hanging out at a bar.

The third member of their group remained stunned as he walked over to the defeated boy, his hands clenching into fists. A look of mingled surprise and anger lingered on his face as he looked down at the feminine man. "You've been eating lunch with me and my friends all week… I thought you were our friend."

Haku struggled into a standing position, gently grasping his torso with a pained expression. "Do not interfere, or you'll force me to mark you as my enemy as well. This has nothing to do with you, Naruto… My target is Kenichi Shirahama, no one else needs to get involved."

"What do you mean this has nothing to do with me?" Konoha's top disciple reached forward and grabbed the smaller boy by front of his shirt, giving him a rough shake. "You're a member of that gang that's been attacking my friends, and now you're trying to kill one of my classmates right in front of me!"

"You have no idea…" The dark-haired fighter began, his blank expression wavering slightly.

"Whoa, looks like we're in for some drama." Takeda added with a joking expression, earning him a punch from the angry blonde.

"No one asked you, idiot boxer!" Naruto recoiled his fist, before turning his attention to the man in his grip. "You lied to us, and said you weren't a martial artist. Why did you say that if you were one of the top members of Team Hebi? It doesn't make any sense!"

"I never actually lied to you." Haku began tactfully, earning him a shake from his captor. "I told you that I had no interest in the martial arts, but never once did I deny any training in the subject. Think of me what you will, but the things I said to you the day we met were the honest truth."

It was Kenichi's turn to look confused. "I don't get it… If you have no interest in the martial arts than why did you become this strong to begin with? It doesn't make any sense!"

The feminine boy felt his heart skip a beat as he considered the question, but he looked upset a moment later. "That is none of your concern." He replied emotionlessly, his eyes focusing back on the man whose grip held him. "I suggest you unhand me, Naruto Uzumaki… I have no desire to kill you."

"Not until I get some straight answers out of you, pal! Why is Team Hebi coming after us? Who is this Devil Fist guy that we keep hearing about? I need to know the truth!" he blurted out angrily, his hands tightening instinctively.

"You allow anger to cloud your judgment. This is a mistake." the other man closed his eyes for a moment as if her were praying, his orbs portraying a strong sense of resolve seconds later. "I was actually beginning to see you as a friend… Please forgive me!"

Haku thrust his hand forward and stabbed a kunai knife into his shoulder, causing his captor to release him with a cry of pain. Caught of guard by the sudden attack, he was helpless when the smaller boy raised his foot and hammered him in the face, causing him to hit the ground with a loud thud. Takeda's carefree expression intensified and he started charged forward angrily, but Kenichi held out an arm to stop him and turned to face their attacker with a sense of righteous fury. He darted forward and smacked the weapon out of the boy's hand before aiming his own kick at the petite fighter.

The weapon's user raised his arms to block the strike, the attack sending him reeling back as he barely avoided a serious injury. "Your movements are impressive… Very good!" he commented.

"Enough of that!" Kenichi screamed, his eyes blazing with fire. "You pulled off a sneak attack like that and yet you had the nerve to call Naruto a friend only seconds before! What kind of man are you?"

"As I mentioned before perhaps I will tell you everything if you win." Haku replied calmly, his fist withdrawing a handful of shuriken from the inside of his robe.

His opponent took a karate pose. "I don't intend on losing this fight, so I hope you intend to keep your promises."

A load scream interrupted the battle as Naruto jumped to his feet, his face filled with a sense of outrage the likes few people had ever seen. Takeda felt himself stepping away as the boy stomped past him, his normally calm exterior melting away in the wake of the beastly fighter. The blonde fighter walked as if the pain in his shoulder was non-existent, his blue eyes filled with a resolve. He stepped in front of Kenichi as if the boy wasn't even there and turned to face their mutual enemy.

"Back off Shirahama, this guy's mine!" he fumed while taking a fighting stance.

"Not so fast, Naruto!" Kenichi refused to back down, his position unwavering. "He came here to challenge me to a fight, so I intend to finish it. I accepted his challenge as a martial artist, and I will keep my word the same way he kept his!"

Konoha's top student lowered his fist, looking suddenly curious. "What do you mean by that?"

"No joke man, this dude just stabbed blondie when he wasn't looking." Takeda added with a note of concern.

"Neither of us wanted anyone else to get involved, so Haku agreed to take the battle up here to minimize the chance that any bystanders would be harmed. While I don't agree with his methods, I understand his desire not to harm the innocent." The brown-haired disciple explained with a small measure of respect. "I intend to keep this fight between us as we originally agreed… You guys stay out of it!"

Naruto paused for a moment before grudging accepting the other fighter's decision. He lowered his stance and took a step backwards, giving the other man a small nod. "All right, I'll let you take care of this. Don't screw up, or I'll kick your butt myself!" he raised a hand as he began walking away from the enemy.

"Understood…" Kenichi high-fived his fellow disciple as he stepped up to fight, his gaze resettling onto his opponent. "You show me your best, and I'll show you it's not enough!"

Haku nodded as he gripped the handle of his tanto, looking equally as determined. "I wish to see your best moves before you die! Do not disappoint!" he swung his opposite hand, sending the shuriken whizzing through the air towards his opponent.

Kenichi focused for a moment and moved his arms carefully, bringing his hand around in a series of wide circular arcs. Although the projectiles came close to hitting him, at the last second they were repelled by the force of his movements, making it look like an invisible barrier had enveloped his body. Haku charged and swung his weapon sideways to slash at his target, but he found his arm repulse by the side of his opponent's hand before he could even strike, the force of his second hand sending the weapon user flying with immense force. The feminine man spun around in mid-air and distanced himself from the defender.

"Whoa, did you see that!" Naruto replied incredulously, his mouth hanging open for a moment.

"How did you repel my attacks so easily?" Haku's eyes widened in shock, his eyes locking onto his adversary's strange arm motions. "I've never seen such a technique before in my life! It doesn't make any sense!"

"It's an advanced technique known as the Ryuusei Seikuken, a secret move taught to me by the elder of Ryozanpaku. This special power requires a clear mind and precise movements in order to anticipate, counter, or dodge an opponent's attacks. When used properly, you create a field around your fighting space that prevents the enemy from landing a single blow."

"Wow, that's awesome! I remember my master mentioning a similar move to that once before!" Naruto commented with a wide-eyed expression, briefly glancing over at the boxer. "Your buddy really seems to know what he's doing!"

Takeda grinned as he remembered the final battle against the Odin. "You've only seen a fraction of what he can do. When someone forces him to go all out, there's not much that can stand up to him. The kid with the weapons is just lucky that Kenichi doesn't like to hurt his opponent's too badly, or else this would get ugly really fast."

Konoha's top student turned his attention back to the battle with a serious expression. "Call it a hunch, but something tells me that Haku doesn't want to hurt anyone either."

In the midst of the fray, the weapon's user aimed a series of kicks at his opponent, only to have each bounced back by the force of Kenichi's Seikuken. Haku sensed and attack and braced himself against the ground using his hands, propelling himself upwards into the air while providing him an opportunity for an aerial strike. He spun around and starting raining down a volley of kunai knives, but his opponent shifted back and forth to dodge them as if he could sense where they were going to hit ahead of time. One came close to hitting his face, but he slapped it away with the side of his hand and advanced.

Haku had a quick flashback of his sparring match against Team Hebi's Devil Fist during one of their gatherings, his face paling as he remembered encountering this scenario before. "This isn't possible… What are you Kenichi, some kind of monster?"

"I'm just a regular guy like anybody else who endures Hell everyday in order to get where I am!" he replied sternly. "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that the martial arts are about effort, not talent!"

The feminine boy realized that he had exhausted his supply of distance weapons and instead focused all of his strength into his tanto, his grip tightening as he charged with renewed ferocity. Haku slashed with his blade knowing that the enemy would dodge and instead tried to force his way through his opponent's defense by aiming a punch, but Kenichi responded by grabbing his fist with one hand, using his remaining had to seize Haku by the wrist. Ryozapaku's disciple wasn't used to fighting an opponent smaller than him, but he took advantage of it by lifting the boy over his head and performing an overhead throw, slamming his enemy into the ground with excessive force.

When the enemy didn't stand up to attack again, Kenichi fell to his knees beside the unconscious boy and felt for a pulse, a feeling or relief rushing over him when he sensed the steady beat. He sighed with a weary expression, seeing how he never really enjoyed fights to begin with and hadn't been expecting something like this to happen. Takeda and Naruto approached the scene looking impressed, although the blonde student also felt a twinge of pity for the defeated man.

The boxer bent over and snapped his fingers in front of the unconscious boy's face before turning to the others. "So, what do you guys planning on doing now? We could leave him up here until he wakes up, although I wouldn't recommend it."

"I can tell you one thing, he wasn't just a common thug." Kenichi replied in a quieter tone. "I could sense when we were fighting that he was also holding back, but I still decided to honor his request and give it my all."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I was thinking the same thing, but what do you think it means?"

Kenichi gestured towards the defeat boy. "Believe it or not, I think Haku was telling the truth about not wanting to hurt anyone. He might have spoken like he was willing to kill me, but deep down I think he actually wanted to lose."

"There's all kinds of fighters out there, but what I don't get is why would someone want to get the shit beaten out of them?" the boxer asked with a puzzled expression.

The blonde disciple stroked his chin thoughtfully, as if trapped in deep thought before shrugging, causing his two companions to sweat-drop. "I may not have a clue what he was thinking, but we ate lunch together for a week and I never sensed any killing intent coming from Haku in that entire time." He stared at the boy's peaceful form. "I'm betting he wasn't doing this because he wanted to."

Ryozanpaku's student nodded in agreement. "He promised me he would explain if I won our fight, but I didn't expect that toss to knock him out so easily. He looks like he's in pretty bad shape, and I'm almost willing to bet one of his arms was broken in the fall."

Takeda nudged the body with his foot. "You should've known better, especially since this dude could barely stand during the second half of your fight and seemed to be running more off of willpower than anything else. There's not too many people that can take one of your death blows and stand back up."

"Maybe we should get him some help." Naruto proposed, pulling his gaze back to the others. "I don't want people thinking we attacked him, but one of the masters of Konoha is a doctor. She's the perfect person to put him back together after that fight."

"Come to think of it, I've never heard of this Konoha place before you showed up. Where is your dojo anyway?" The boxer asked him.

"It's located across town, although if we hurry it shouldn't take that long to get there."

Kenichi lifted the unconscious boy onto his back. "Ryozanpaku isn't too far from here, and I also have masters skilled in medicine. It's probably our best bet if we take him back to my place and let Master Koetsuji look at him first. Kensei Ma specializes in Chinese acupuncture, so they should be able to take care of this without a problem."

"Are you sure this is the best idea?" Naruto looked slightly unconvinced by his argument.

"Master Koetsuji is the same guy who fixed my arm when other doctors thought I would never move it again." Takeda clapped a hand on his shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "Girly man over here is probably in the best of hands with these guys, even if they drag him through Hell during the healing process."

"When you put it that way, I guess it's fine." The blonde disciple hesitated for a second before following after the two Shinpaku leaders. "All right, lead the way…"

Meanwhile…

Haruo Nijima walked along with a cocky expression as he tapped away on his handheld computer, all the while flanked by his personal entourage of Shinpaku soldiers. Matsui waved the banner over their heads while marching at the rear of the group while the remaining three grunts surrounded their leader protectively. The man standing in front of the group did the Shinpaku salute as they marched along, causing the group to chant alongside him. Their actions attracted the attention of some bystanders as they passed, but the alien thought of it as good publicity for when the alliance ruled the world.

"Today my brave soldiers, we embark on a great and noble quest to bring our rag-tag army of justice to the top!" he screamed maniacally. "Are you all with me, gentleman?"

"Yes General Nijima, sir!" the others cried out with a cult-like unison, each performing their trademark salute.

The alien-like boy threw his arms into the air as his subordinates hoisted him into the air. "The time is now my subjects, seize the world in the palm of our hands and show these lowly peons exactly why we are the ones chosen by the heavens to dominate!"

His gathered minions began chanting the name of the Shinpaku Alliance repeatedly as they followed after their illustrious leader, making it look like they were trying to start a parade. This continued on for several more blocks, but their leader was so busy basking in his glory so much that he didn't see someone walking directly towards them. The others stopped chanting almost instantly as they felt an ominous presence emanating from the newcomer, causing the demon-like man to grow irritable with his soldiers.

"I didn't give you lowly grunts permission to stop! C'mon guys, show a little more of that good old Shinpaku spirit!" he chastised them before bumping face first into the person blocking their path. The person was no bigger than him, but he was irritated nonetheless. "How dare you get in my way? You best start begging for forgiveness, especially since you have no idea who you're messing with!"

The cloaked figure snickered at his threat before speaking in a light, female voice. "Haruo Nijima, leader of the Shinpaku Alliance… That's exactly who you are, is it not?"

"I'm impressed that you know my name little lady, but I hope you also realize what that means." He began ominously, hoping to frighten his victim. "Now, I highly suggest you step aside and apologize before my boys and I decide to get rough. It would certainly be in your best interest…"

She seemed to find him more humorous than anything else. "Oh my, it would seem that you misunderstand my intentions."

The mystery woman used her hand to cast aside the dark cloak she was wearing, revealing her beautiful face and slim figure. She had a fair complexion, dark eyes, and light navy blue hair styled into a spiky ponytail with long thick strands framing the sides of her face. Her outfit consisted of a green kimono with a fuzzy fur collar and a large yellow and white flower symbol imprinted on her left hip area, a form-fitting bodysuit underneath in the same shade of red, and a pair of stylish boots that came just to just below her knees. A thick yellow rope belt held her outfit in place, and she wore a layer of red lipstick.

"My name if Guren, one of the Demons of Team Hebi, and a loyal follower of the Great Serpent God." She introduced herself with a mocking bow. "I came here under the orders of the Devil Fist to claim the life of the Shinpaku Alliance's leader, Haruo Nijima."

"You've got a lot of nerve woman, popping up out of nowhere and threatening my life in front of my loyal subordinates!" he cried out before snapping his fingers, causing the grunts to surround his would-be attacker. "All right men, show this insolent loser exactly what happens to those who attack your beloved general!"

She eyed the men surrounding her with a look of boredom. "If you hand over your leader, no one else need be harmed." The woman shrugged with a yawn, her expression hardening moments later. "Of course, if you want my opinion, I would much rather do this hard way!"

The group charged in an attempt to attack the newcomer, but she effortlessly dealt with the quartet of grunt with a single movement of her hands. She slammed her right hand into the first man's face, using a sweeping motion to plow them into each other, while dealing several blows with her leg. The complicated movements forced all four of them to the ground with minimal effort. She glanced at her gloved hands as if admiring a manicure before turning to face her target. Guren took a step towards the alien student, causing him to tense up, but stopped as the boy with glasses wrapped his hand around her leg in an attempt to slow her down.

"Run, General Nijima… I'll keep her busy!" Mizunuma screamed, only to be kicked in the face.

"You have a lot of guts to get up after being knocked down, but I do question your intelligence." She replied before lifting her opposite foot and crushing his wrist, a smile appearing on her face as she began grinding his bones with the sharp heel of her boot. "Your screams are music to my ears, please keep going… It gives me such a warm, fuzzy feeling inside that I just…"

"Shut up!" Nijima began waving his hands in the air to get her attention. "You ugly bitch! Get your dirty feet off my minions, or you'll have a real fight on your hands!"

Guren's eyes widened in anger at the insult, but she quickly covered it up with a sinister smile. "Oh my, you intend to fight me yourself… This certainly makes my job much easier."

"I would sully my hands by fighting someone like you, but I know someone who'd be more than willing to take up he challenge." He replied with an equally evil expression, before pulling a flute from his backpack.

His enemy stared in surprise as he played a few notes on his instrument. It was far from being the most entertaining piece of art, but the line of music was actually a signal he had developed not too long ago in case of emergencies. After waiting a moment or two longer, the woman glanced around with a confused look and quickly lost patience with her opponent. She began advancing on him with a menacing expression, looking rather irritated that he had dared to waste her time with such foolishness. Her target attempted to run away, but she leapt over his head and raised her fist to strike.

"It's over for you, Haruo Nijima!" Guren brought her hand down, but was seized by the wrist before she could deliver the final blow.

The woman swung around at the man behind her, but the newcomer dodged with a graceful twirl of his foot, allowing her previous prey to scamper out of her reach due to the distraction. Her new enemy was a man with long grayish purple hair reaching down to his waist, with two long strands tied with loop ornaments on either side of his face. He was a tall, young man wearing an elegant, long-sleeved, dark red coat with a gold trim, and a matching hat with a feather sticking out of the lining. A pair of dark pants covered his legs, and like his opponent, he also wore a pair of boots.

He tilted his hat respectfully towards the pointy-eared man standing behind him. "You have my apologies for being late, my precious demon king. Unfortunately I had several other things to attend to, but it still appears that fate has treated us well this day, for I still managed to arrive at the nick of time."

"Well done my subject, but we have more important things to worry about." Nijima pointed over the man's shoulder, prompting his subordinate to dodge a blow aimed for his head.

"How uncouth of you to attack an opponent when his guard is down." The man did a graceful pirouette as he spun to face her. "I find your ruthlessness to be intriguing, and yet you seem to lack that certain rhythm that allows me to enjoy myself in the midst of battle!"

Guren jumped back away from her new enemy, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Who the Hell do you think you are, butting in like this?"

He placed a gloved hand to his chest and bowed like a gentleman. "Alas, I am known as the immortal composer, Siegfried. So long as General Nijima wills it, I will place my life on the line to protect the melodies of my comrades. This oath I swear, as a loyal captain of the Shinpaku Alliance!"

"So you're one of their top fighters… This should be interesting." She crooned with a sickening expression. "I look forward to destroying you both!"

"If you wish to lay a hand on our beloved leader, you will have to face me first, and I have no intention of allowing this effrontery to go unpunished!" Siegfried cried as he spread his arms out in his trademark stance.

Guren raised one hand over her head and thrust the other forward, gently curling the tips of her fingers so that both cupped hands were facing inwards towards her body. She raised one foot and cocked her ankle at an unusual angle. "The scent of blood always smells the sweetest when it is drawn by my own hand…"

Note to Readers: The fights begin! Naruto will get some action in about two chapters when the problems get worse. This current mess is only the beginning of a much larger slugfest. Another one of the Demon is revealed to be Guren, and as one of Orochimaru's personal experiments in this story, you can expect some unscrupulous tactics from her that most people wouldn't consider fair in a fight. Here's a recap of Team Hebi's leadership so far… Devil Fist: Sasuke, Demons: Karin, Suigetsu Hozuki, Jugo, Haku, Kimimaro, Kiba Inuzuka, Guren… That leaves three of the Demons still unidentified.

I also went for some friendship development between Naruto's group and the members of the Shinpaku Alliance this chapter, since it will be important for them later. This is something else you guys can look forward too during future installments. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. As usual I'm sorry if there's some typos, or errors in spelling and grammar, but I typically write chapters for my stories late at night.

Special thanks to **Anime Insaniac**, without whom this story might not have lasted this long…

Please feel free to comment if you liked something, want to see something happen, or have any guesses or predictions as to what will happen next! Don't forget to **REVIEW**! It really motivates me to keep working on this story! If you have any ideas that you think I could use, please contribute!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Music of the Wavering Heart**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto of HSDK or any affiliated characters or logos. This story is made strictly for fun, not profit.

Guren looked up to see her target running away down the street, causing her eyes to narrow in annoyance. "It appears my prey is trying to escape… Oh well, I'll make certain to hunt him down once I'm finished dealing with you."

"Do what you will, but I shall not allow someone like you to attack my comrades! This I swear in the name of my lord and general!" Siegfried announced with a sense of deep-seated pride. "If you are as strong as you claim, than step up and challenge me like a true martial artist! You may yet discover that my own skills are not to be taken lightly."

"We'll see about that!" she lunged forward at her opponent with her right fist.

The man went flying back towards the pavement as her hand came into contact with his body, a look of anguish filling his facial features as he crumpled beneath her blow. He landed face first on the ground several feet away, his body twitching once or twice before falling limp. His opponent dusted her hands together with a look of boredom as she stepped forward to deliver the finishing blow, her eyes alive with excitement as the idea of drawing blood. As she drew closer to his body something seemed a little bit off, but the female fighter did her best to ignore the feeling in her gut and took a moment to savor her brief victory.

"For someone who talked so big, you really were a pushover. Is this truly the best you can do, immortal composer?" She raised her foot and prepared to thrust the point of her boot through his spine, but the finely dressed man shunted sideward across the pavement.

Siegfried popped back up with the force of a spring and launched himself at the woman, causing her to lash out at him with a series of punches and kicks, but he jumped backwards to avoid it and extended his arms out again. She spun around clockwise and swung her leg at his head, only for the music-loving fighter to leap. He landed gracefully on top of a trashcan, but she kicked the receptacle over, forcing him to return to the street. Seeing him off balance, she smashed her fist into his jaw, driving him to the ground for the second time, but after lying motionless for a few seconds, he sprung back to life and attacked again.

"La la la laaaaaaaaa!" he sung while dancing around her attempted strike, forcefully bringing his hand down on his opponent in a chopping motion. "Hiyah!"

"Damn you!" She shifted her stance back to avoid his sweeping arm motions, a look of surprise appearing on her face for the second time this fight.

Guren began silently wondering how he was able to stand up so easily after taking so many direct hits. Due to some intensive training and experiments done to her by the Great Serpent God, she was certain that her blows were more than powerful enough to deal with any opponent. She had thought something odd was going on before, but after a few seconds of going over the exchange in her mind; she finally seemed to come to a conclusion. The female fighter felt her hand make contact with his body, but never once in this fight had she gotten the familiar feeling of satisfaction that came with smashing an opponent's bones and crushing their bodily tissue.

"What's the matter, have you given up?" the finely dressed man asked with a smile. "You're certainly the aggressive type, but such tactics will do you little good against someone like me."

The female fighter looked highly amused at this suggestion. "After analyzing your technique, I've concluded that the only reason you survived my attacks is because none of them struck you to begin with." His look of surprised told her she was correct, prompting her to smile. "I will admit that your little trick had me going at first, but now that I've finally figured out the truth, your chances of winning this fight just disappeared."

Siegfried straightened his hat with a calm expression. "I must say it's very rare that someone sees through my technique so easily. You must truly be a gifted martial artist to have figured out my deception, but you will be sorely mistaken if you believe my talents are limited to a single technique."

"I'm looking forward to seeing what else you can do." She replied hopefully, lazily snapping her knuckles to loosen her joints.

The woman shifted one arm out and thrust her fist forward as she charged him, using her left leg to aim a low kick. Siegfried reacted quickly to her sudden movement, leaping gracefully over her downwards strike while positioning his feet together as he landed back on the ground. He did a spin to avoid feeling the full force of her attack, using the momentum from her movement to increase his own force as he came back around and struck with the side of his hand. Unprepared for this unorthodox movement, she took the hit to her face and went flying backwards several meters, the force of the blow knocking the wind out of her. For a moment, it felt as if she had been struck by one of her own punches.

"Perhaps now you understand what you are up against. This is only a fraction of the power that you face when fighting the Shinpaku Alliance!" The composer said with a look of satisfaction.

Guren stood back up, an ugly flush coming to her cheeks as she realized the humiliation she had just experienced. She refused to show any sign that the strike had been so strong. "How can you hit with so much force just by spinning around like an idiot?" she fumed angrily.

Siegfried smiled with a look of interest. "I have to admit, your punches are very powerful, which is why my counterattack was so strong. You see, my technique works by using the momentum from your own attack to increase the strength of mine. The harder you strike me, the stronger my attacks will become."

"First you play dead, and now you use my power against me… It appears your style of fighting specializes in the use of cheap shots to take down an opponent, although it still seems that you possess some measure of talent."

"Think what you will of me, but I shall not fall to the likes of you!" he cried out proudly.

"We'll see about that!" Guren raised her fists and advanced towards him, using a solid stance to increase the strength of her assault.

Her opponent responded to this by cartwheeling backwards and propelled himself into the air with a powerful spin, using his momentum to direct his flailing attacks towards the enemy fighter. Bracing herself on the wall of a nearby building, Guren pushed her own body into the air, pulling her fist back and thrusting it in his direction in an attempt to shatter his guard, instead causing their attacks to collide. They locked arms in mid-air, but Guren remedied the situation by smashing him in the mid-section with a powerful kick, the feeling of his body constricting telling her she had finally scored a hit.

Siegfried landed on his feet, but soon found himself swaying like a tree in the breeze. He placed a hand on his chest and coughed up a mouthful of blood, the liquid staining his normally pristine outfit. "Damn you! To be able to kick with so much force is truly a magnificent feat."

"You look like you're just about ready to give up." She smiled at his poisoned expression. "The weakness of that combo you attempted to use one me was that your motions become predictable, and you lack the agility to counter with the same level of skill while flying in mid-air."

"I'm impressed that you were able to pick up on this small vulnerability so quickly, but the same cannot be said if my body remains rooted to the ground. What will do you then?"

She wracked her mind to answer the question, but was nearly caught off guard when the enemy charged violently in her direction. The woman felt his killing intent and raised her guard to counter his strike, focusing all of her power into a series of fast kicks. Siegfried seemed to move with her attacks like a leaf dancing in the wind and spun around on one foot, nailing her with a kick of his own. Knowing that the force of his strike was likely fueled by her own, Guren purposely fell onto her back to avoid being struck and flipped back onto her feet with a combined movement of her legs. He brought his hand down in slapping motion, prompting her to counter with a roundhouse kick to his wrist.

The sheer force of her hit pushed his arm up, prompting her to lunge back force her full body weight in an attempt to attack while his guard was down, but the graceful man grabbed her wrist and swung his entire body around in a wide arc, moving behind her and pulling her arm behind her back. She attempted to smash her elbow into her captors gut, but he used his opposite hand to seized her arm and followed it up by pushing his body upwards and smashed his knees into her unprotected sides, causing her to topple over onto the ground, but she countered by wrapped her feet around his ankles and pulling him down either her.

He caught himself mid-fall and managed to escape the hold, landing several feet away from his opponent as she returned to a standing position. Guren had spent the entire fight looking rather confident in her ability to kill him, but her failure to do so had filled her with frustration and deep loathing. In a display of rage, she slammed her foot into the ground with so much force, that it left an imprint in the concrete, a look of surprise appearing on her opponent's face as she left a crater in the side of a building with her fist.

Siegfried took a step back. "In this world there are many martial artists who possess the ability to shatter walls and break stone. This feat is typically accomplished through a combination of skill and power, yet in your case the source appears to be some kind of monstrous strength. For a woman of your size, it seems almost impossible…"

"What you just witnessed is my full strength, a power granted to me by my master through experimentation." She began with a dark laugh. "My physical strength has been greatly enhanced to levels beyond those of an ordinary human, and most martial artists. Are you prepared to face off against something you can't even comprehend?"

Siegfried chose to ignore her statement and continued speaking as if he hadn't been interrupted. "I can sense the unsettling melody that lingered around you has changed into a wild frenzy of pure chaos." The composer pulled a roll of parchment from his coat, before plucking the quill from his hat and quickly set to work writing.

Guren felt her anger boil over at the sight of the spectacle. "What the Hell do you think you're doing? You're an idiot to start writing when I'm about to kill you!"

"Forgive me, I was just stuck with the most brilliant inspiration derived from the wild sense of unparalleled fury emanating from your very core." The man stowed away his materials and threw his arms in the air with a dramatic twirl. "It sings to me! It speaks to me! It makes me want to sing a chorus of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony!"

"I was only playing games before, but since you seem so adamant on pissing me off, I see no more reason to hold back."

"How barbaric…" Siegfried straightened up, using his hands to smooth out the wrinkles in his clothing. "So, it would appear that Hermit was correct in his judgment of you organization. The Demons of Team Hebi enjoy inflicting pain and suffering so much that they intentionally hold back in order to prolong a fight."

"Your weakling friend was lucky that Suigetsu was being an idiot, or else he might have been the one laid out on the streets after that fight."

Her opponent took his stance and charged again. "Hermit won that battle because he has the heart of a true martial artist, not that of a lowly rogue like you and your comrades. To insult one of us is to insult the principles of justice on which the Shinpaku Alliance was founded!"

Growing tired to his chattering, Guren thrust her fist forward in an attempt to punch out his jaw, but her adversary did his spin to counter again, a move she had been hoping for from the very beginning. Siegfried struck her with full force near the base of her neck, causing the female fighter to crumple under the force of his strike. Guren's body fell backwards as if someone had injected her with muscle relaxant, the whites of his eyes showing as she passed out onto the ground at his feet.

He looked up her unmoving body only to realize the peculiar position she was in. Despite the fact that her torso and head were resting flat on the ground, her knees were bent, leaving the soles of her boots firmly positioned against the pavement. Guren waited a moment longer before flailing her legs around dangerously and bouncing back into a standing position, her wild kicking motions forcing her opponent to pirouette to safety. He distanced himself from the woman with a look of shock as she began swaying in around strangely, her arms waving around in strange motions like noodles from a fork.

"What kind of madness is this?" Siegfried cried out, his eyes widening in shock as she began stumbling clumsily towards him.

"C'mon and fight me, opera boy!" she replied with a mischievous smile, her previous annoyance having evaporated instantly.

She charged at him with a strange spin in her step and aimed a kick, prompting the composer to use a counter spin, but before she could hit him, she fell face first onto the concrete. He stopped mid-twirl with a bewildered expression at this sudden turn of events, only for his opponent to spring back to life. Guren propelled her hips forward so that her butt was facing him, and rolled back into a standing position using by pushing the weight forward. Using his hesitation to her advantage, she swung her arms around aimlessly for a second before thrusting both palms forward, the force send him crashing into the wall of a nearby building.

Siegfried shook his head to clear away the blurred vision, guessing from the incredible pain in his chest that she had damaged if not broken a few ribs. He choked back the feeling of agony, his eyes opening just in time to catch sight of the enemy charging for another attack. Due to her enhanced strength, even the simplest attack could mean death. The immortal composer ducked beneath her reach, causing a small crater to appear where his head had been only moments ago. Guren began stumbled backwards as if she had decided to give him a break, but her pattern quickly changed as she cartwheeled towards him and performed a spinning kick, his own counter attack worthless against it.

Her strike drove him to the ground with a loud thud. It was almost like his opponent had become a completely different person in the last minute, and her fighting style was nothing like it was before. The immortal composer wasn't the type to be frightened easily, but at this point his torso felt like it was burning on the inside, and he wondered if the next time he hit the ground would be the last. He briefly remembered his losing fight with Berserker, the same familiar feeling of panic filling his heart and mind as the old wounds reopened.

"Your movements lack all sense of rhythm and stability! What kind of fighting style do you practice?" he tasted the blood in his mouth and swallowed with an ill expression.

Guren moved fell to the floor and rolled in the opposite direction, distancing herself from him before standing again. In that moment her previous demeanor returned, an arrogant grin in place of her previous vacant expression. "You seem a little bit shaken up, shall I call a psychiatrist, or perhaps an ambulance?"

Siegfried did his best to stifle his dislike of his tormentor. "What kind of ability is this?"

"I can tell you're frustrated that your techniques don't work on me anymore, but it's only natural considering how your methods work." She began with an evil smile. "During our battle, I deduced that you follow an opponent's rhythm and counter their attacks accordingly. The answer was quite obvious for me… By utilizing the Zui Quan style, my movements become much less predictable and can be changed instantly in order to confuse an opponent further."

"Blast… the Drunken Fist!" the injured man beat one of his gloved fists against a nearby wall out of frustration. His expression suddenly changed, a sense of strength coming back into his defeated eyes. "This situation calls for drastic measures!"

Guren let out a cruel laugh. "What do you plan to do, drown me with your filthy blood?"

The composer's eyes shown with a deep resolve as he drew himself up to his full height. "I will put my very existence on the line to prevent you and your villainous cohorts from disrupting the music that emanates from the Shinpaku Alliance! Whenever we come together, I can hear a beautiful melody of friendship! We are both comrades and friends and I will do whatever it takes to stop Team Hebi!"

"Let's see if you can live up to your word…" the woman replied nastily, her body growing limp again as she took her stance.

She began stumbling around again with her arms waving around in slurred motions, her hands hardening into fists and swiping out at seemingly random targets. She swung at her opponent, prompting him to dodge, and counter with a spinning kick, but Guren fell backwards onto the ground to avoid the attack and tucked her knees behind her back, shifting herself back into a fighting stance before lashing out as her opponent. He noticed how far off her movements were from hitting him and dodged with minimal effort, only to be caught off guard by a sweeping kick to his knees.

Siegfried cursed to himself as he rolled sideways to avoid a stomp, instead maneuvering his own body into a roll to avoid his opponent's seemingly sloppy arm motions. Guren fell over on purpose and did a hand stand, propelling her body into the air and landing facedown on the ground right in front of him. The female fighter pushed her hands against the concrete and did a spinning motion of her own, forcing her opponent to leap to avoid being tripped. She responded by grabbing a hold of his ankle and throwing him as far as she could, but the finely dressed man landed shakily on top of another trashcan.

Guren spun around and attacked. "There's not too many people who can handle that many hits from me and continue standing, but unfortunately for you, I've grown tired of this game!"

"As have I, perhaps it is time we end this fight once and for all!" Siegfried replied wearily, his face displaying signs of mingled agony and fatigue.

The composer did a twirling leap as he leapt from his spot, bracing himself as he took several direct hits from his opponent. Despite the monstrous power behind each of her swings, he remained grounded by sheer force of will and refused to be pushed back, each hit making him feel as though his bones were straining just to hold together. Using his spinning movements, he maneuvered behind her and wrapped his arms around the woman. She struggled and writhed in an attempt to break free, but the leverage worked in his favor and he took advantage of this small moment of triumph.

Holding on for his life, Siegfried did a series of high back flips with Guren trapped in his grip and propelled them both into the air by bouncing his feet against a building, slamming her headfirst into the ground as they fell. Using her body as a springboard, he pushed himself away from the impact at the last second, forcing his opponent to take the full punishment by herself. Siegfried landed shakily on his feet several meters away, his injuries only growing worse by the second. A loud smashing note reverberated as her head smashed into the concrete, the rest of her body hitting the ground with a loud crack.

"That's my Requiem Buster… An ultimate attack guaranteed to finish off any opponent no matter how strong or weak that person may be." He explained through labored breaths, his hand subconscious grasping his chest in pain. "It took every bit of strength I had left in me to use such a powerful move, but at least it's over…"

He turned to leave until to hear an angry growl coming from behind him, his eyes widening in shock as the woman he thought defeated was starting to stir. Siegfried found himself backing away from her form as she used a hand to snap her neck back into place as she raised her head to glare at her opponent. If looks could kill, he would have dropped dead instantly, the expression made all the more terrifying by the large streaks of blood running down her face. With some difficultly, she stood up. Although Guren appeared just as shaky on her feet as her opponent, the fact that she was still conscious was frightening enough.

"That's not possible! Only a true monster could have survived such a powerful strike from my finishing move! How is it that you have escaped my attack with a cracked skull or broken neck?" he cried out with a look of horror.

"A monster, you say? I suppose that's a valid judgment of me." Guren spoke with a cold, solemn expression. "My master did several experiments on my body in an attempt to create the ultimate warrior, such as testing various mixtures of steroids on me, and using a variety of mind-altering drugs in an attempt to enhance my ability to learn."

Siegfried looked outraged by the thought. "Your master must be some kind of fiend without a single shred of honor to use such methods to enhance the abilities of his students!" he snapped angrily. "An honorable warrior learns through experience and hard work! Someone willing to use these sinister designs doesn't deserve to be called a true martial artist!"

She smiled, sending a chill down his spine. "How dare you insult the name of the Great Serpent God! The only thing that matters in the world of fighting is whether or not you can kill you opponent. It doesn't matter how you become strong, so long as you have the power and skills to destroy one's enemy!"

"That is blasphemy!" the composer screamed, his pupils shrinking in sheer anger.

"The fact that I am still alive after your attack is proof of this! I survived because my master enhanced my skeletal structure by replacing several brittle bones with durable prosthetics. He is a true genius in the field of medicine as well as one of the most powerful martial artists that dwell within the Darkness."

Siegfried's eyes narrowed at the last part of her sentence. "The Darkness…" he repeated quietly.

Guren's body wobbled slightly due to fatigue. Despite her enhancements, she had still suffered major head trauma. She found the strength to smile again, her hands crunching together as she prepared to finish off her helpless opponent. "Feels difficult just to move your body, doesn't it?" she began menacingly. "Don't worry, I'll put you out of your misery soon!"

Meanwhile…

Several blocks away, Konoha's two female disciples were walking home to the dojo. While it was quite a distance away, the pair thought of the trip as another part of their training and did it every day in an attempt to stay active. They had just begun the walk home and were beginning to recount the day's activities as they always did, but while the pink-haired girl seemed relatively cheerful, her friend appeared to have something on her mind as she listened. In truth, the blonde was wondering what she was going to say to Shikamaru when they returned.

The other thing that bothered her right now was the third member of their trio who had decided to ditch them when his job was the keep on eye on them while they were at their clubs. It was strange that he had been the one to propose the plan of them staying in groups of three, and yet he also refused to abide by it. Last time she saw him he was wandering randomly around the school grounds like an old guard dog making his rounds, but the next thing she knew he seemed to vanish. Sure the spiky-haired boy was an idiot a lot of the time, but she never took him as the unreliable type.

"I can't believe Naruto bailed on us like that, especially with Team Hebi on the prowl." She added randomly, looking deeply annoyed at the thought.

Sakura shrugged, having expected her old friend's antics to result in this. "He sent me a text saying he had something important to take of after school and wouldn't be able to walk home with us. I know he was upset when Shikamaru picked him for guard duty, but I never would have expected him to just abandon us like this with Team Hebi on the prowl."

The blonde looked distraught as she remembered her encounter in the greenhouse. "The situation is a lot worse than that, especially considering what I saw at the Gardening Club this afternoon."

"Does this have anything to do with Kenichi Shirahama?" her friend added with a confused look.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact it does…" Ino began with a note of worry. "We were just watering some flowers in the greenhouse one we were attacked by a guy wearing a cloak. I think the dude had some kind of weapons training, because he came pretty close to taking us down."

Sakura quickly understood where she was going with this and wasted no time with voicing her thoughts. "It was them again, wasn't it?" she asked with a look of disgust.

Her fellow disciple nodded grimly. "The guy demanded a fight with Kenichi and they left shortly afterwards. I told him I was willing to help out, but he told me that he would settle things alone and they went somewhere so no bystanders would get involved."

"Here I thought he was your friend, and you just let him run off with some creep from Team Hebi without even telling someone!" The pink-haired girl replied with an irksome expression.

"I wanted to help him, but he told me to stay out of it. As a fellow fighter, I understood how he was feeling and decided to honor his wishes." She hesitated for a moment and stroked her chin before continuing. "Maybe I'm going out on a limb here, but I don't think that guy in the hood even wanted to attack us."

Her friend looked even more confounded by this revelation. "You just got through saying that the dude attacked you. Why would he lay down a challenge like that if he wasn't serious about hurting anyone? It just doesn't make any sense…"

"If I knew the answer to that, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Ino replied with a pensive look, her mind recalling the sensations she felt during the encounter along with the event itself. "Strangely enough, I could feel any killing intent coming from our attacker. He even apologized for almost injuring me, and seemed ashamed of his own actions."

"Maybe he was acting that way to get you to let your guard down. Lady Tsunade once mentioned that some martial artists have the ability to hide their killing intent completely. It's rare that a strong fighter can completely mask it, but there are some select individuals with that power. Not to mention that being a good actor can help out in tough situations."

Ino shook her head firmly as they walked on. "I don't think that was the case at all… A fighter doesn't have any reason to hide their desire to fight when directly engaging an opponent. Call it a gut feeling, but I'm certain that the enemy had some kind of reason to go after Kenichi."

The other girl shrugged it off. "You said he was a member of Team Hebi, what other reason would he need?"

"There has to be something going on with him, even if we don't…" she began thoughtfully.

"What the Hell!" Sakura froze in her tracks, her cry of surprise interrupting the other girl mid-sentence.

The blonde girl glanced over her friend's shoulder, her eyes catching sight of four large men wearing spotted scarves ganging up on a smaller man. Startled by this sudden change of pace, Sakura pulled Ino behind the corner they had just turned, the two girls watching the scenario in front of their eyes. It looked as though the thuggish cronies had surrounded their victim and were closing in on him like a pack of jackals to the carcass. While Ino recognized the boy's clothing as the uniform from their school, her friend seemed to be getting even more out of it.

"We can't just let those thugs attack that kid, I say we help out." She replied stubbornly.

"I know that guy… That's Haruo Nijima, the annoying alien kid from our class that keeps asking me to join Kenichi's weird fighting group." Sakura glanced over at her friend. "He's sneaky, conniving, and about ten times more annoying that Naruto on his worst day."

The blonde disciple raised her eyebrow with piqued interest. "You make that kid sound like the Devil himself. I can tell you would rather sit here and watch this, but I still don't feel right just leaving him to get pummeled by those jerks." Her eyes gravitated towards the snake-spotted scarves the men were wearing. "Not to mention that those guys look like Hebi enforcers."

Sakura exhaled with a defeated sigh. "Guess you're right. Even that arrogant pain in the ass doesn't deserve to be killed by people like them. I suppose we have no other choice but to get involved this time."

The pair of girls emerged from their spot, with Sakura quickly taking the lead. Placing a hand to her mouth, she called out at the group of delinquents. "You guys better lay off that freak right now, or you'll have to answer to us!"

Her words quickly caught the attention of the quartet of delinquents, who quickly turned to face the duo standing across the street. Sakura and Ino approached them without an ounce of fear, causing one of the men to turn on them instead. He was a large guy wearing jeans and a t-shirt, a large crowbar clenched tightly in his hands as he bore down on the girls. Like a lot of other members of the gang, he also wore a snake-patterned scarf around his neck, signifying his position as one of the group's enforcers.

"Little girls should mind their own business…" he replied with a threatening look. "Unless you want to join that demonic freak in a world of hurt, I suggest you take a hike!"

Ino returned the thug's angry glare with one of her own. "Back off, bigfoot! You and your idiot buddies should follow your own advice."

Losing his patience, the man swung his weapon at her without anticipating the consequences of what he had just done. Ino moved with the blow and shot beneath his guard, slamming her left hand into his eyes with a shift whipping motion of her arm. He recoiled in pain, giving his attacker an extra second to deliver the finishing blow. The blonde fighter darted behind him with a swift movement of her feet and planted both hands into his shoulders to attack the joints, a swift kick to the back of his knees driving her victim face first into the ground with a loud crash.

She gave his body a swift kick before placing her foot on top of his chest. "We suggest you leave unless you want to same treatment is this moron!"

"Get them!" one of the delinquents screamed, prompting his fellow thugs to charge at them like an angry mob.

Sakura cracked her knuckles and took a pose with her fingers out and her wrist curved. "Looks like they want to do this the hard way…" she began with an un-amused expression, gently glancing over at her friend. "Do you want to take care of this, or should I do it?"

Ino smiled amusedly. "It's been a while since you've seen any real action, so be my guest."

The pink-haired girl advanced towards her opponents and began swings her arms in erratic movements, instantly smashing one of the men in the jaw and knocking him onto his back. The two remaining thugs charged her with growls of rage, but she watched their movements carefully and reacted accordingly. Throwing her arms back, Sakura thrust her leg forward and nailed the first man in the chest, planting her foot back onto the street and spinning her arms around, thrust both hands out and dropping the last of the trio effortlessly. Once she was finished, she walked back to where her friend was standing and put her hands on her hips.

"We'll give you morons three seconds to get out of here!" she shouted with a gutsy expression.

The group of thugs jumped up for their positions on the ground and promptly ran for their lives like scared children, the gang disappearing around a nearby corner, moments later. When their frenzied footsteps died away, the two girls looked up to see the pointy-eared alien boy standing only a few feet away. He wore an evil smirk, his pronounced canine teeth showing like a pair of demonic fangs. Despite having just defeated a pack of vicious men, they felt a strange sense of hunger emanating from the boy and subconsciously raised their guard.

"That was quite an amazing fight, although if truth be told, I could have escaped those badly dressed hooligans all on my own had you not jumped in." he stated with a crafty smile.

"Didn't look like it from where we were standing." Ino replied with a note of disbelief.

Nijima let out an insane cackle, prompting the others to cringe in irritation. Upon noticing this, he stopped immediately. "Nevertheless, I was very impressed with your martial arts skills. So much so that I am willing to give you both a marvelous chance to pledge your loyalty to me and join the ranks of the legendary Shinpaku Alliance!"

Sakura grabbed him by the front of his shirt. "Don't make me regret I just saved you! How many times have you asked me this week, and how many times have I refused. I swear, I should have let Naruto kill you after the hundredth time you nagged us about this!"

To their surprise, the blonde fighter slapped her friend's hand away from him. "I don't think violence is going to solve anything, especially against someone like him." Ino pointed a thumb over her shoulder at the alien as he spun in circles behind them. She turned back to face him and smiled. "Besides, if Kenichi is a member of this martial arts group maybe we should at least hear him out."

"Yes! Yes! At least let me tell you about all the benefits that come with it!" Nijima replied sheepishly, while rubbing his hands together in scheming manner. He noticed they didn't look over enthusiastic, but resumed speaking anyway. "Anyway, there are a ton of things you might want to know! To start with…"

Just then a loud cry echoed from several streets over, a voice that the alien boy recognized all too well. Through pain moans, he could hear the sounds of someone singing Mozart's Requiem, a tune that he recognized as Siegfried's call of distress when losing a battle. Although many would accuse Nijima of being an evil bastard, there were very few people who doubted his devotion to his subordinates. The composer was one of his most faithful lackeys, and by far one of the must valuable members of his team, and he now felt a twinge of guilt at leaving him back there.

Sakura began glancing around, her ears having caught the noise too. "What's that sound?" she pondered quizzically.

"Oh no, this is not good!" he screamed with a jumpy expression.

"For someone who was so eager to brag about his gang, it's kind of weird how you stopped mid-sentence like that?" the other girl commented. "What are you babbling on about now?"

Nijima looked around with a panicked look, his eyes glittering as they settled on the two girls standing across from him. "That noise you're hearing is a cry for help from on of my minions!" he began tactfully.

Although his expression unnerved them, the pink-haired girl did her best to ignore it, her ears probing the distant sounds carefully. "He sounds like he's singing, but I can also hear some screaming in between the notes. Don't tell me that your friend got into a fight!"

"He defended me from one of Team Hebi's Demons a few blocks back and told me to escape while he took care of it. Siegfried's definitely one of the stronger members of the Shinpaku Alliance next to Kenichi Shirahama, so I figured he could handle the situation while I ran back to the school for help. It appears I was wrong."

Sakura exhaled solemnly, knowing she was probably going to regret it. "I'm no fan of your little team, but the disciples of Konoha were taught to use our training to defend lives, no matter who the people are." She began with a serious expression.

"If that is the case, then it must be destiny that our pasts crossed this fateful day! " Nijima grinned widely and extended a hand, his sharpened nails giving him a monster-like appearance. "As a fellow supporter of justice, I ask you to help me save my subordinate from certain destruction! Do you agree to these terms?"

The pink-haired girl slapped his hand away with a sour expression, but agreed nonetheless. "Never mind that crap, we have to find your friend first if we want to save him."

"I think the singing is coming from that direction, so let's get going!" Ino took off down the street closely followed by her friend.

To their surprise, Nijima quickly caught up and surpassed the two Konoha Disciples, his running speed easily outstripping both of them. "You'd best let me lead the way! I know exactly where Siegfried was when we first parted ways, and we'll get there a lot faster if you let me handle the navigational duties!"

"Fine, whatever… Just keep going!" Sakura snapped with an impatient expression.

The trio cleared several city blocks in a matter of minutes, the demon-faced student leading the way with the girls following closely behind. After running for a few minutes or so, they came to a halt on the street where the fight had started and followed the song of distress until they saw a pair of figures fighting near a metal fence. A well-dressed man was barely standing, as he took repeated blows from his female opponent, dodging a few here and there by weaving back and forth, but largely unable to fight back due to his fatigue and injuries. He barely had the strength to continue his singing, but refused to surrender until the melody no longer came from his lips.

With a powerful blow to the face, Guren pushed the man to the ground and raised her boot over his chest. "I have to admit, you put up a much better fight than I ever imagined…" she began through labored breaths. "It's almost a shame that a fighter with so much potential has to die right here."

"Stop right there!" Nijima screamed, catching the attention of the two combatants.

"General Nijima… You've come back for me!" Siegfried cried out through tears of joy.

His superior nodded earnestly. "Of course my subject, I would never allow you to perish, let alone at the hands of a loser like her!"

The enemy stepped away from her victim and smiled nastily. "Perhaps you do have a spine after all. Have you come back to face your punishment."

"I would never allow you kill one of my valued subordinates, particularly someone as useful as Siegfried. I always intended on returning with help, and now that I have, you're in big trouble missy!" Nijima let out an obnoxious laugh and threw his arms in the air. "Meet my two newest lackeys: Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka!"

"We're not you're lackeys!" they screamed in unison, the two girls taking turns kicking him into the ground with excessive force.

Guren placed a finger to her lips and snickered. "Oh my, general! It appears that your so-called underlings need some better training."

Both Konoha disciples glared at her, with Sakura asserting herself first. "You nasty bitch! We just said we didn't work for this guy!"

The blonde girl fired up instantly. "As disciples of Konoha, we don't exactly sit back and let thugs like Team Hebi attack other people! Not to mention your teammates attacked our friends last week… We won't just let that slide!"

"So you two are the disciples that the Devil Fist spoke of. I have to admit, I was expecting more than a pink-haired freak with a disturbingly large forehead and an ugly blonde bimbo." The woman replied with a casual shrug.

"What did you just call us?" Sakura raged, a large vein pulsing on her pronounced brow.

Ino broke into a run, her hands moving into striking position. "That's it lady, you just signed your own death warrant!"

"Go my loyal subjects… Destroy this menace for your glorious superior!" Nijima cheered.

"Shut up or we'll kill you next, weirdo!" Sakura punched him in the face and pushed him down before following her friend into battle.

Guren felt the pain of her own injuries worsen and realized the consequences of her actions almost immediately. Reaching down, she seized her previous victim by the collar of his shirt and tossed his body at them in an attempt to by herself some time. Sakura caught him mid-fall and laid him on the ground safely before resuming her charge. Nijima ran up to hi subordinate and gave the finely dressed man a shake, causing him to stir lightly. His eyelids flickered open moments later, showing that he was alive, if not severely beaten from his fight with Team Hebi.

"Thank you, general Nijima! If you hadn't shown up when you did, there's a chance that I would not have survived against her." he replied weakly, offering his superior a smile. "

"Save your breath… I may be a bit of a schemer, but I'm not the kind of man who accepts gratitude when it's not warranted." The demon's evil grin widened slightly. "The people you should really be thanking are those girls over there. Without them, I might've gotten myself beaten by a gang of thugs. We're both lucky, I suppose."

Guren dodged several strikes aimed at her joints and leapt into the air to avoid getting hit, her body becoming considerably slower with each movement. Sakura aimed a series of strikes from her side, nailing the woman in the back. The Team Hebi member raised her arms to defend against Ino's frontal assault, but the blonde fighter's movement was only a feint, her opposite hand smashing into Guren's elbow instead. The older woman cursed as she barely escaped the two-way onslaught, knowing that she might have been able to fight them had she been at one hundred percent. In her current condition, she was barely able to move, let alone counter.

"Damn, you little bitches!" she growled, as a pair of punches connected from both sides, her body falling in a graceful arc as she hit the ground.

Konoha's female disciples stood with their backs face each other as their opponent fell, both of them immediately turning their attention to the injured man by Nijima's feet. Ino inspected the woman's body to make sure she was unconscious before running over the place where the others were. Sakura sat on the street beside Siegfried's form, using some medical supplies she carried around in her school bag to tend to his wounds. While it seemed a little bit strange to have these things on hand, recent events had prompted her to be prepared for such an occasion. Tsunade had also trained her how to be a doctor in addition to their martial arts regimen.

"Thank you…" Siegfried replied weakly, his eyes rolling back as he passed out.

Sakura nodded kindly as she applied the bandages, a small gasp escaping her lips as she felt what appeared to be broken or misplaced bones. "This could be bad… I'm surprised your friend was able to keep standing for so long." She replied with a frown.

Nijima leaned forward with a more serious look. "What's that supposed to mean? He's been in worse scrapes than this, so I'm confident he'll be just fine with some time to heal."

"I doubt he'll die or anything serious like that." The pink-haired woman agreed calmly, a frown reaching her lips moments later. "I don't have the tools or supplies with me to properly clean and treat wounds like these. What we really need to do is get him somewhere to receive professional treatment."

Ino looked concerned by this statement. "Won't they ask us what happened if we walk into the hospital with a guy who's been beaten to death."

"I might have a solution, ladies…" the alien boy replied, his eyes glimmering mischievously.

Meanwhile…

Back at Ryozanpaku, Kensei Ma was sitting in the clinic entertaining a rather unusual guest. Sitting across from him was Master Jiraiya of Konoha, the two men sharing cups of tea while they discussed certain matters. Having known each other for a long time, the two middle-aged masters had friendship over the years based on mutual interests. As two men who specialized in teaching Chinese Martial Arts, one might be led to believe that they had formed their bond over shared principles, although this was only partially true. The two shared an entirely quality that had most heavily fostered the friendship.

The large white-haired man set down his latest novel on the table and smiled widely. "After several months, this little beauty's finally finished! I was hoping you'd give it a read for me so that I can get some feedback ahead of time. It'll help me determine whether or not this one will be a winner or not!"

Kensei stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "Very well, although considering how low I am on funds at the moment, you wouldn't mind if I decided to sell this rare unreleased item once I'm finished with it?"

"Go ahead and be my guest." Jiraiya replied welcomingly, a clever expression lighting his face moments later. He held out his hand expectantly. "Of course, I might not be willing to let it go without receiving my usual fee first."

"Ah, but of course!" The smaller man rummaged through his pocket and removed a small envelope, handed it over to his colleague moments later. He looked around to make sure no one else was around before leaning forward and placed a hand to his mouth. "Just like I promised. There's some pictures of Shigure in the hot springs, and a few that I took while she was hanging around the dojo."

Jiraiya hid the envelope in his jacked and nodded once. "This should work nicely as inspiration for my next book."

"I look forward to reading you next masterpiece, old friend." The Chinese master raised his cup in a toast before drinking up.

As the two perverts poured themselves another cup, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard coming from outside, prompting them to look up in surprise as Kenichi Shirahama burst through the doors of the clinic, closely followed by a familiar boxer and the number one disciple of Konoha. There was an unfamiliar boy draped over his shoulder, although it was one of the people following him that surprised the occupants of the room. Jiraiya jumped as he recognized his number one pupil, almost falling off his chair as he entered the room.

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" he burst out, almost choking on a sip of his tea.

"Master Jiraiya!" Naruto screamed in his face, his eyes almost popping out of his head in shock. "What are you doing in a place like this?"

The white-haired man took a moment to breathe before calming down and addressing his student again. "I came by here to visit an old friend of mine." He gestured towards the smaller man sitting at the table. "Naruto meet Kensei Ma, the man said to have mastered all of the Chinese Martial arts."

"Yeah, good to meet you." Naruto shrugged off the tiny man's presence.

"Likewise…" Master Ma took a sip of his tea and walked over to greet his own student. "So Kenichi, it looks like you brought another patient. Was this boy a victim of an attack by vicious thugs, or another one of your enemies that you want us to heal?"

Jiraiya scratched his head thoughtfully. "Come to think of it, why are you guys here anyway? I heard the disciple of Ryozanpaku attended the same school as my students, but I never expected them to show up together out of the blue in this dump of all places."

"Are you calling my clinic a dump?" another voice called out as Akisame Koetsuji stepped into the room. He wore a modest frown and simple clothing, although his presence seemed to attract the attention of everyone else in the room.

Jiraiya ran a hand though his hair and exhaled. "I didn't mean it like that. I was just surprised that our disciples happened to meet like this."

"The big guy with the white hair and tattoos is your master?" Takeda asked the younger student.

Naruto smiled proudly. "Yup! You'll never find a better teacher than Master Jiraiya. Trust me, I've trained with a few of the other guys at my dojo and I still say the old pervert's definitely the best in the business!"

Jiraiya felt both flattered and humiliated at the same time as some of the others began to laugh behind his back. "Glad to hear you enjoy my lessons, but will you please stop referring to me like that in front of other people?" he muttered while leaning in.

"This crazy old man never had much luck with the ladies due to his perverted nature. Take it from someone who knows." Kensei replied with a quiet snicker.

"You're the last person who should be talking." The larger man replied with a frown. "Don't patronize me, I'm not in the mood."

"Wait a minute… Your master's an old pervert too?" Naruto whispered to his new acquaintance.

Kenichi nodded with a look of mild embarrassment. "Yeah, now I'm starting to understand why those two get along so well."

Ignoring the quiet exchange going on between the two perverted masters, Akisame stepped up to the group of disciples. "While we could probably spend all day talking about the exploits those two have gotten in over the years, I highly recommend you place your friend on one of the vacant beds and allow me to inspect tend to the boy's injuries."

"Oh yeah, sorry I got distracted for a minute. He's in pretty rough shape, so we should probably get him some help as soon as possible."

Ryozanpaku's disciple carried the unconscious boy over to one of the beds, gently resting his head on one of the pillows. The philosophical Jujitsu master walked over and quickly removed the upper layer of the boy's clothing, revealing several visible wounds among the internal damage that was probably present but not wholly visible to the naked eye. Akisame noticed several weapons hidden in his sleeves including a dagger, although the pouch where shuriken would normally be held was completely empty, implying that he had been in a battle recently. It was clear that this boy was not only a fighter, but also a skilled weapons user.

Jiraiya noticed this thee same things from his seat and decided to ask when no one else addressed the issue. "So, I'm guessing you kids got into a fight with this boy?" his eyes moved over the three teenagers carefully. "Are you guys going to tell us the story behind this, or do we have to start guessing?"

Naruto scratched his head with a goofy expression. "I wanted a piece of the action, but Kenichi was the one who actually got into the fight. The blue-haired guy and me wanted to help out, but it turns out we weren't needed."

"I'm a little surprised you would bring an enemy back here for treatment, especially one who was carrying deadly weapons." Kensei replied with a pensive expression.

Kenichi glanced over at the boy's unconscious form before answering. "He may have tried to attack me, but something tells me that he never truly wanted to do it. I couldn't feel any killing intent coming from him, and the way he spoke to me made me feel as if he wanted to lose."

The blonde knucklehead standing beside him nodded in agreement. "Sakura and I ate lunch with this kid all last week, and he was always such a nice guy." He paused for a moment, suddenly looking angry. "Maybe it's just a gut feeling, but Haku definitely had a reason, and we were hoping we could get to the bottom of this."

"Perhaps he hid his killing intent from you." The short Chinese master stroked his chin.

Jiraiya dismissed the notion quickly. "That's a skill definitely beyond the power of a disciple class martial artist, and since your boy was able to best him without sustaining any serious injuries, I'm pretty confident that's not the case."

Kensei Ma nodded in agreement. "True, but Kenichi always could take a beating. Apparently being a loser for so many years made him accustomed to getting his butt kicked to the point where he no longer feels any pain even in the most brutal fights."

"Certainly an interesting quality, maybe getting beaten up toughens up disciples better than scoring victories." The larger man replied.

"Will your two quit talking about m as if I'm not even here?" Kenichi shook his fist at them in an angry rage, his arm drooping as he felt the sting of his own wound.

Takeda pat him on the back with a friendly smile. "Take it easy bro… You just came out of a fight, so don't go getting yourself worked up over nothing."

The door slammed open again, revealing Haruo Nijima's disheveled form. "Gangway, you've got an old patient in major need of emergency treatment!"

"Nijima!" Kenichi blurted out with a look of surprise, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the two girls standing behind him. They were both carrying a familiar man who he immediately recognized. "Sakura! Ino! Why is Siegfried unconscious? What are they doing with you guys? Will someone please tell me what's going on?"

"Kenichi!" Ino stepped back, looking a little surprised to have run into her fellow gardener.

Sakura's eyes widened when she saw everyone else staring at them. "Naruto! Master Jiraiya! What are you two doing here?"

Takeda watched the scene with interest. "Wow, it looks like everybody here knows each other!"

"Who's the dude in the hat?" Naruto raised an eyebrow with a suspicious look. "For the love of God, will someone please tell me what's going on here?"

"All of you kids… Quiet down!" Jiraiya stood up, easily towering over the disciples in the room. Once everyone had stopped talking, the middle-aged master sat back down and lowered his hands. "Since you guys seem a little bit more stable, now you can explain the situation to each other instead of shouting out nonsense. I personally recommend you place that poor guy somewhere he can rest first."

Ino bowed her head. "Yes sensei…" she replied alongside her friend as they carried him away.

"To start with, that's Siegfried." Kenichi pointed to the unconscious man as the girls placed him on one of the empty beds. "He's one of the captains of the Shinpaku Alliance, although I would appreciate it if someone explained to me exactly what's going on."

Nijima quickly decided to fill in some of the blanks. "To put it simply, one of the Demons from Team Hebi came after me, but Siegfried showed up to stop her from finishing me off. I tried running back to the school to see if you were still around to help, but those scoundrels sent some brainless idiots to watch for me. Luckily, these two girls decided to become rescue me. They became my new minions and together we defeated the enemy and saved Sieg's life!"

Naruto glanced at his fellow disciples. "Don't tell me you actually joined this bogus alliance."

"Hey, be careful who you're making fun of." Takeda punched him lightly on he shoulder.

"Don't forget who kicked your butt in our sparring match." Konoha's top disciple added in, both of them breaking out into laughter moments later.

Sakura shoved the boxer aside with an impatient sigh. "Don't listen to that alien freak… Ino and I just couldn't say no when we heard that someone was in danger and could do something about it. Using our skills to help is exactly what our masters always taught us, isn't that right Master Jiraiya."

The white-haired man nodded solemnly. "Sometimes you can make friends by helping out complete strangers, but even if you don't, it's always best to do the right thing." Although he fell silent after saying this, the name of the gang struck his interest and he decided to listen carefully and stay out of their conversation for a while.

"To think that Team Hebi's coming after you guys too." Sakura replied with a frown. "Believe it or not, a few of our friends were attacked too."

Naruto noticed the master's expression. "Sorry old man… I guess this is news to you since we didn't explain anything to you and the others before now."

The middle-aged man looked slightly taken aback by this, but smiled nonetheless. "It's against the code of martial arts for a master to directly involved himself in the battles of his disciples. If you chose not to tell as anything, than I see no reason to pry any further. Lee already told Guy a little bit yesterday, so I was already aware that there was some trouble going on, if not directly."

"Hey Kenichi!" Ino suddenly addressed him with a look of interest, her eyes moving onto the opposing trio. "How come Naruto showed up here with you and your friend? Now that we explained our story, maybe you can explain yours."

Ryozanpaku's top disciple scratched his chin nervously. "Well, I'm sure you remember that guy that attacked me in the greenhouse after school."

"Yeah, what about him?" the blonde girl raised an eyebrow with a look of suspicion.

"Our fight attracted the attention our friends, and they showed up wanting to help me out. After I defeated him in a fight, we took him back to Ryozanpaku to get some treatment for his injuries instead of just leaving him passed out on the roof of the school."

His fellow gardener looked shocked by her friend's judgment. "What! Why would you do that?"

"He seemed like a decent guy, and I could tell he didn't want to hurt anybody." Kenichi looked at the floor for a moment before facing her. "C'mon, you must have felt it too…"

Ino exhaled wearily and nodded. "Yeah, looks like I wasn't the only one. Maybe he had his reasons for doing what he did."

"Haku promised that he would tell us if Kenichi managed to defeat him." Naruto replied with a stubborn frown. "That's one of the reasons why I followed him and blue-hair to Ryozanpaku."

Sakura suddenly looked unsettled. "Did you just say Haku? Please tell me you're not talking about that guy we've been having lunch with for the past week."

Her knuckleheaded friend nodded, causing her complexion to pale. "It's the same dude, although it's just like we said before. He apparently has some sort of motivation for becoming one of the Team Hebi's Demons."

The pink-haired girl looked deeply concerned. "I hope he does… He always seemed like such a nice guy whenever we were together."

Before the conversation continued, Akisame stepped out from behind the door leading to his examination room and removed his pair of disposable gloves, calmly depositing them in a waste bin as he passed by. He walked over to the cabinet and fetched a new set of gauze and some bandages among other medical supplies in preparation of his next patient. He had treated the young composer before an admired his guts, although this was the second time Siegfried had turned up here in such bad shape, and it made the Jujitsu master wonder how much more of these beatings the young man's body could actually take without permanent damage.

After rinsing off his hands, he stopped to address the group of disciples. "The first boy your brought to me regained consciousness while I was tending to his wounds, and now he wants to speak to you all privately. While I wouldn't normally allow this, I will make an exception so long as you promise not to react violently to anything that is said."

"Thank you very much, Master Koetsuji." Kenichi bowed quickly as he proceeded into the examination room.

The other disciples followed quickly with Nijima shutting the door behind him, the group gathering around the bed while trying not to frighten the boy. Haku looked up weakly and noticed that there were more people in the room than he was expecting, his eyes making note of Sakura and Nijima, neither of which he had ever done anything to personally. He recognized all of his visitors, but the people he was most anxious to talk to, were the top disciples of Konoha and Ryozanpaku respectively.

Naruto walked over to his bedside and sat in the chair, barely even acknowledging the others as he looked the injured boy directly in the eyes. "You said before that you would explain what's going on, so go ahead and spill."

Sakura placed her hands on her hips. "You've made it clear that you don't want to attack innocent people, so why is someone like you a member of Team Hebi to begin with?"

"Please, maybe we can help you with whatever you're going through if you're willing to explain it to us." Kenichi reassured him in a kinder tone.

"It's a long story…" the bedridden man replied with a glum expression, his eyes empty and cold.

Takeda shrugged with a look of boredom. "No worries kid, we've got plenty of time!"

Haku took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, his mind slowly gathering the key facts together while trying to sort out some things that he would rather not mention. After a moment or two of going over the information in his mind, he began. "It started when I was a eight years old. After my parents died, I ran away from the miserable orphanage that the government placed me in, and I was forced to live alone in the streets."

"That's terrible…" Ino placed a hand over her mouth with a saddened expression. "I can't believe you lost everything at such a young age!"

"I try not to think about it." The feminine boy replied with an empty expression, his eyes long having shed the tears that came with this memory. "I survived by eating out of dumpsters and begging in the streets, but a child so young can never survive very long on his own. One day some men attempted to do unspeakable things to me, and even though I was certain no one would come, I cried out for help."

Naruto looked anxious. "I don't mean to be rude, but how does this part of your life have anything to do with what were asking you before."

"Shut up, you insensitive jerk!" Sakura punched her friend over the head, leaving behind a large lump where her fist had hit.

Haku watched them with a lack of interest before speaking again. "I never expected anyone to come, but a man wielding a large sword appeared from the shadows and murdered my attackers before my eyes with a single swing of his blade. At the time I passed out underneath his gaze in the belief that he was going to kill me as well, but fate had other plans for me."

"So you were saved by some mad slasher on the streets, huh?" Takeda shrugged it off with an unreadable expression. "That's pretty interesting, although I never would've expected that to be a part of your story."

"Honestly, at the time I was just as surprised as you were. Likely more, considering I had just encountered a man who was perhaps one of the most dangerous in the world." The weapons user replied. "I woke up in an unfamiliar place shortly after that an was greeted by my savior. As it turned out his name was Zabuza Momochi, and he was a great swordsman who served as a master-class assassin for a prominent organization. He told me that he sensed the same loneliness in me that existed in his heart, and asked if I would like to become his disciple. I would be lying if I claimed not to be afraid of him, but with nowhere else to go, I saw it as my only option."

"So this guy took you on as a disciple, that much I understand. This could certainly explain how you know so much about the martial arts, although it doesn't exactly tell us why you joined Team Hebi?" Kenichi pondered out loud, his eyes moving back onto the injured boy.

Haku let out an asthmatic cough before resuming his story. "Over the years, Master Zabuza taught me everything he could about the art of wielding weapons, and even instructed me in several styles of hand-to-hand combat. He would often leave his home to perform his duties for his superiors, but one day, he did not return."

"Care to give us the rest of the story?" Naruto pushed while attempting to sound polite, earning him a glare from the two girls in the room.

"I was getting to that." The feminine boy replied in an even tone, displaying no hostility towards him for asking. "After a year had passed, I understood that for whatever reason, my master was not going to return, but unlike my parents before him, I had no real evidence to prove that Master Zabuza was dead. I prepared left my home behind for the second time, although this time I was armed with the resolve to find the person I hard lost. The organization he worked for was very secretive, but I managed to catch a few leads during my travels."

"So how does your situation relate to Team Hebi?" Sakura leaned in closely, her sense of curiosity apparent from her mannerisms. "Did you join to find another place to belong, or was there something more to it than that?"

Haku nodded in agreement. "The syndicate Zabuza had worked for a dark organization centered around the Killing Fist Philosophy of the Martial Arts. Although I was unable to learn anything about them directly, there were rumors floating around that a member of this group had formed a gang named Team Hebi with his personal disciple as its leader. I joined them with the hopes that I could eventually find a way into the syndicate, and learn the fate of my master."

"Wait a minute… So the only reason you've been following orders from these jerks is because you want to find your master?" Takeda asked.

"Precisely. The boy replied calmly. "He was the only person who ever cared for me, and the only thing I have left in this world. Until I find out the truth, I will never stop searching for him."

Naruto's expression gradually changed into one of acceptance. "If it weren't for my masters, I would have been alone in this world too. My parents died when I was still a baby so I don't remember much, but the elder of Konoha was an old friend of theirs. He took me in and gave me a home when I had nothing, so I guess I understand why you're so determined to find this guy."

Kenichi held out a hand to the boy. "I don't think any of us bear any ill will towards you. For what you've done, not even me. You should quit Team Hebi and stop doing these things if you don't believe in it. I can't speak for everyone, but I would be happy to help you out!"

"What he said!" Konoha's top disciple added excitedly.

"There's no need to subject yourself to serving those jerks." Sakura replied with a friendly smile.

Nijima rubbed his hands together. "Yes, we could always use another quality recruit for the Shinpaku Alliance!"

The blue-haired boxer pushed him down and smiled. "Just ignore that guys… He's bad news."

Haku raised his hand as if contemplating the offer, but very slowly he withdrew it. He turned away from the others with an ashamed expression. "We all walk our own paths, and I've already chosen mine." He replied solemnly. "I believe the best way to find my master is to stay with Team Hebi, and this opinion remains unchanged."

Naruto let out a childish groan. "C'mon man, we can help you a hundred times better than those creeps ever could! If you ask me, you're just being stubborn about this whole thing and don't know what you're talking about." He replied, only to receive a literal kick in the pants from the blonde girl standing behind him.

"He's made his choice…" Kenichi replied, his words cutting through the blonde fighter's babble like a knife. "I doubt there's any way we could change his mind, especially if he made this promise to himself as a martial artist."

"Thanks you, Kenichi Shirahama…" Haku replied, his eyes closing for a moment. "If we meet in battle again, I apologize for what must be done."

Ryozanpaku's number one disciple gave the patient a kind expression. "I don't know what you plan on doing now, but I understand why you feel the need to do it."

Suddenly the door opened, revealing Master Jiraiya's lined face. "Akisame's gotten tired of us hanging around his clinic. I think it's time we take a hike." He replied, gesturing the three disciples under his jurisdiction before beckoning them forward. "Chop-chop, you three have a tone of training to do when we get back to Konoha."

As he slipped from the room, the three students bid everyone else farewell and prepared to follow, only to be stopped by the presence of a certain pointy-eared alien. "So, are you guys willing to reconsider my offer to join us? You can see that we share the same enemy, so at least attend tomorrows meeting so we can all share information on Team Hebi!"

Naruto glanced at the others, and although they didn't look thrilled, he didn't her any protests from either of the girls. "All right, we'll play your game for once."

"What do we have to lose?" Sakura shrugged with a defeated expression.

Ino was probably the least resistant of the three. "Just tell us where and when this so-called meeting is taking place, and we'll see what we can do."

"Here's the address on this paper." Nijima handed her a card. "I look forward to your attendance, and don't forget to bring all of your little friends as well!"

Konoha's top student let out a sigh as they stepped through the door. "Something tells me we're going to regret agreeing to this."

Note to Readers: This chapter was action, so naturally the next will include more development. Anyone who reads the HSDK manga already knows what organization that Zabuza works for. Now you know a little more about Haku's past, and why someone like him became involved with Team Hebi. Haku and Guren failed, so what kind of ghastly fate awaits them for getting their butts kicked by the enemy. Just to let you know, the only reasons she couldn't stop Sakura and Ino was because her battle with Siegfried took too much out of her. By the time they showed up, she was spent and also outnumbered.

Next chapter the Konoha Disciples meet the Shinpaku Alliance, so there's bound to be fun. You'll also find out what the punishment games are for those of you who remember that mention of them dropped in the first chapter. Even the Demons of Team Hebi are subject to them if they fail. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. As usual I'm sorry if there's some typos, or errors in spelling and grammar, but I typically write chapters for my stories late at night.

A lot of you guys seem to like the story, but I've gotten pretty limited feedback from most of you. Such things are like treasures to any fanfiction author. Please feel free to comment if you liked something, want to see something happen, or have any guesses or predications as to what will happen next! Don't forget to **REVIEW**! It really motivates me to keep working on this story! If you have any ideas that you think I could use, please contribute!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Preparing for War!**

The Konoha disciples walked the streets in a large group as they searched for the address given to them by Nijima. After everything that happened with Team Hebi in the last twenty-four hours, the young fighters had been constantly on guard as if they expected to be attacked at any given moment. After some deliberation, Naruto had managed to talk the others into coming to this meeting, although several of his companions looking as if they would rather be anywhere else. While Ino, Naruto, and Lee were interested in meeting with Kenichi's group, Shikamaru, Choji, and Sakura were much less than enthusiastic towards the idea.

"I still don't get why you want us to come along. It's not like what happened to those Shinpaku guys has anything to do with us." Choji stated with a confused look.

Shikamaru sighed. "You're right about that, but this quarrel with Team Hebi seems to be getting worse. Some guys in snake scarves jumped me this morning while I was picking up some box lunches at the convenience store. It's probably a good idea if we gather as much information as we can about them so we're prepared."

"Not to mention Ino has a crush on that Shirahama kid." Sakura replied with a clever wink.

"I do not!" the other girl barked, a light blush gracing her pale cheeks. "Believe it or not, Kenichi already has someone special to him. It actually came up in a conversation yesterday when we were putting away some gardening supplies. "

The pink-haired girl shrugged. "I was just joking around, although you two must've become good friends for him to tell you something like that. He seems like a pretty lame dude to me, so I don't see why you'd be interested in him to begin with."

Ino smiled calmly. "He's innocent, cute, and clumsy, but also one of the nicest guys I've ever met. Plus it's not often I meet a man who loves gardening as much as me! He's also willing to protect total strangers and puts his own life on the line to help other people. When you think about it, what's not to like?"

"Not to mention his fighting technique is one of the most amazing I've ever seen!" Lee chimed in with a grandiose victory pose.

Konoha's top student smirked as the idea of sparring crossed his mind. "You got that right, bushy-brows! That Seiku-something or whatever he called it was really awesome! Once he busted out that move, it was like nothing Haku threw at him could even touch him!"

The green-clad boy's eyes seemed to light up at the notion. "It appears that my judgment of this man was spot-on!" he cried out excitedly, stomping his foot and thrusting his fist forward. "I cannot wait to meet him again so the two of us can fight!"

"That's not likely, considering this kid doesn't like to fight unless someone's in danger." Naruto replied with a disappointed pout, his expression changing into a smile moments later. "Besides, if he ever agrees to have a match, I've got first dibs. If I fight him, it'll prove that the top disciple of Konoha is better than the number one student of Ryozanpaku!"

"Unless of course you lose the fight." Ino replied with a snarky look befitting her master.

"If you guys are done taking jabs at each other, I think this is the place we were supposed to meet." Shikamaru replied joylessly, his finger pointing across the street.

Sakura looked over his shoulder, her expression souring instantly. "It looks like a dump. Those weirdoes can't be serious…"

Konoha's disciples looked in the direction of her gaze, the sight producing similar reactions from her teammates. They hadn't expected much from a group of fighters, but the building matching Nijima's address looked like it had been abandoned for years. It was a few stories tall with several broken windows and a variety of overgrown plants littering the yard. Despite this, the grounds surrounding the building were relatively clear of debris compared to the surrounding streets, indicating that the property was still in use. A boy standing outside waving the Shinpaku flag told them that they were indeed in the right place.

As the group approached the building, the flag-bearer ran forward to intercept them. "Stop right there! We don't take kindly to intruders such as you crossing into the territory of the Shinpaku Alliance! State your business or leave here immediately." He demanded.

Shikamaru sighed and handed the invitation to the man. "Your boss said he wanted us to show up for some kind of meeting. Some of my companions are friends of Kenichi Shirahama."

"Just tell that pointy-eared weirdo the number one disciple of Konoha demands an audience with the Shinpaku Alliance!" Naruto declared with a solid grin.

"Here we go again…" Sakura rolled her eyes at his antics, but to her surprise the guard stood aside to allow them entry.

"You must be the honored guests that General Nijima said would be attending this afternoon's meeting." Matsui lowered his flag and bowed his head before the blonde disciple. "You have my humblest apologies, General Naruto of Konoha… You and your underlings may proceed!"

He let out a goofy snicker. "Did you guys hear that? Banner boy called me the general!"

"Don't let what that idiot said go to your head, you're still not the boss of us." Ino added with the tiniest of laughs.

The pink-haired girl kicked their newly proclaimed leader from behind. "Yeah, the day we let a knucklehead like you give us orders is the day Hell freezes over." She added grumpily.

Naruto stumbled through the doorway, both hands covering his butt. "I see your kicks are as painful as ever, huh Sakura? I don't see why you have to be so violent all the time."

"Sorry, I didn't really mean to hit you so hard." She replied with a shrug, a slightly embarrassed look sweeping across her pale features. "Sometimes I really don't know my own strength, especially since Master Tsunade kicked up my training to the next level."

"It's fine, but we should really get going! Don't wanna keep our hosts waiting, do we?" the top disciple called over his shoulder, one hand still rubbing the spot she had struck.

The others proceeded after him as their guide led the way, the banner he was holding still hoisted high in the air. Matsui led the Konoha disciples through a series of dingy lit halls, each of them taking brief glances at the surrounding environment. They passed a bathroom that appeared to have been refurbished recently, and a larger gymnasium-like area filled with exercise equipment, sparring mats, and several sets of weights, all for the use of the fighters that trained there. After rounding another corner, the flag-keeper stopped outside of a door and gestured forward.

Naruto shook the man's hand with a friendly smile. "Thanks for helping out. Are you attending this thing too or what?"

"This secret meeting is only for the higher-ups, not the lowly grunts like me." Matsui pointed a thumb towards himself. "The general already prepared some seats for you guys, so feel free to sit down and wait for the meeting to begin." He replied before turning to leave.

"All right… See you later, flag boy!" the blonde teenager waved him off before opening the door, the others remaining relatively quiet as they followed him into the next room.

The room they had entered contained a long table with a large chair towards the end and a series of smaller chairs on each side. It looked like the type of setup people would use while conducting a board meeting in business, although the tarnished walls, scratched floor, and dirty windows made it seem like the kind of place people would use to make drug deals. Several members of the Shinpaku Alliance were already present, standing away from the meeting table while chatting casually with each other. Although Naruto recognized one of them, the others were completely unfamiliar to him.

Takeda crossed the room and high-fived Konoha's top student. "Hey Naruto, looks like you and the lovely ladies are doing pretty good. Guess I should've expected no less from some top-notch martial artists!"

"Looks like you recovered from that beating I gave you yesterday. Maybe next time I should try a little harder!" Naruto grinned at the taller man, his eyes gravitating towards an even bigger man looking over the boxer's shoulder. "So, who's the dude in the sunglasses?"

"That's just my pal Ukita… We've been best buddies for a while, isn't that right big guy?" he slapped the man's shoulder.

The larger man glanced at their guests before straightening his sunglasses. "So, you people must be the new recruits that Nijima kept ranting about yesterday. I'm actually surprised he managed to convince so many people to join up with the Shinpaku. It took him ages just to get me and Takeda into this club, but it looks like he's speeding things up a bit."

"Not so fast, big guy." Shikamaru added in a flat tone. "I don't know what your leader's been saying about us, but half of our group hasn't even met him. The only reason we let Naruto talk us into coming to this meeting is because we've all been under attack by Team Hebi lately."

"Some of us are also dying to see what you guys are made of too… It's not often we get to spar with strong opponents besides each other!" Lee added with an excited expression.

Although she had remained silent so far, Kisara found her interest piqued by the newcomers. She cleared her throat with a sly expression, gravitating all of the attention onto herself. "I heard from Nijima that you guys were all really tough fighters. Why don't the rest of us have some fun while we're waiting for the others to arrive."

Choji held out his arm to stop the others from reacting. "We came here to share information about our enemies, not to get into needless fights."

"No offense, but we've been training our entire lives as martial artists. Most of us would probably wipe the floor with you guys in three seconds flat." Ino added with an apologetic note, her bravado still apparent.

Ukita stepped in front of them with an angry look. "You Konoha guys are a lot more arrogant than Kenichi mentioned. If there's one thing I've learned from practicing Judo, it's that you can never underestimate the competition until you've seen their full potential firsthand."

"That sounds like a challenge!" Lee fired up with a look of anticipation blazing in his eyes.

"It's pretty clear that you guys have no idea who you're talking to." Kisara cracked her knuckles in a relaxed manner. "Have you kids ever heard of Ragnarok before?"

The group glanced at each other with clueless expressions, but Shikamaru seemed to have a grasp on what was going on. "Yeah, I remember hearing a thing or two about 'em." He turned back to his friends for a moment, all of which had shifted their attention onto him. "Relax guys, they're just a gang of delinquents who terrorize the city."

"They sound like real jerks." Naruto commented absent-mindedly, barely noticing the looks on the faces of their hosts.

"First of all, Ragnarok was a group of fighters, not thugs. I was one of the bosses known as the Eight Deadly Fists." the redheaded woman spoke calmly, although a spark of irritation came into his eyes moments later. "The members of this elite group were all very skilled practitioners of the martial arts."

"You seem to take a lot of pride in being a delinquent." Ino added with a note of sarcasm.

Konoha's number one disciple scratched his head, looking equally confused. "If this gang was so bad, then why were you a part of it? I mean, you guys don't seem like bad people, and I'm pretty sure that Kenichi kid wouldn't be the kind of guy to hang out with thugs."

"Actually, a lot of us Shinpaku guys were thugs back when Ragnarok was still around." Ukita explained with a nostalgic expression. "Kenichi beat us when we were still delinquents, and made us remember the reasons why we originally fought."

Takeda nodded in agreement, gently clapping a hand onto his friend's shoulder. "After getting our butts kicked across town, each of us started to remember the reasons why we originally started studying the martial arts. He made us realize that we were being idiots, and the rest of us have been friends ever since!"

Shikamaru stroked his chin. "You guys talk as if Ragnarok's gone… The gang's been quiet for a while, but I never did hear what happened to them."

"Half the gang quit and joined the Shinpaku Alliance for their own reasons." Kisara began with a sly expression. "We came together and beat the snot out of Ragnarok's elites. Kenichi personally took down the leader once we cleared the field for him. Even I have to admit, that kid fights like nothing I've ever seen before."

"That must mean you guys are also very skilled warriors… That is good!" Rock Lee added with a smirk.

The blue-haired boxer unwrapped his knuckles and slammed his firsts together, gently shifting his stance back and forth. "Oh yeah, you guys said you wanted to spar before. I suppose we can spare a few minutes before everyone else gets here. What do ya say, Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head. "I already beat your ass once yesterday, although it's pretty cool that you're eager to try again." He glanced over his shoulder at the brooding genius. "Yo Shikamaru, why don't you take a crack at him. You're a boxer too, and it would be awesome to see which one of you guys is better?"

"I came here to collect information, not to exhaust myself." He replied with a flat expression.

Sakura stepped past him with a look of disapproval. "Just ignore him, he's just too lazy to spar unless the masters order him to, although he's actually some kind of super-genius. I swear that slacker might have been a master himself by now if he was just willing to go the extra mile every once and a while."

"That guy, a super-genius? I guess you learn something new everyday, am I right?" Takeda rubbed the back of his head while casually chewing the end of his blade of a grass. "Either way, I'm still itching to test my medal against the rest of you guys after seeing what Naruto can do."

The pink-haired girl stepped from the group. "My master keeps telling me that I need some more hands-on experience, so I guess I can keep you busy if you want."

"That's nice and all, but I couldn't bring myself to fight someone as cute as you." He replied with a friendly expression.

Sakura blushed slightly to hear that someone found her attractive, but at the same time she felt a sense of anger welling up in her chest. "Are you saying you won't take me on because I'm a woman, or are you just being a sexist pig?" she stomped towards him, causing the blue-haired boxer to sweat drop nervously.

"Nope, it's nothing like that. If this what I get for being nice, I might as well go back to being a thug." Takeda raised his hands with a harmless expression in the face of the angry girl.

Before anyone could say anything else, Kisara raised her leg between the two, drawing the group's focus onto herself. "Since Takeda already lost to blondie, why not let me have a crack at fighting you guys instead. I'm always up for a good challenge, that is, assuming any of you kids can measure up to Valkyrie of the Eight Fists!"

Sakura took a fighting stance. "Sure, why not… Bring it on washboard girl!"

The red-haired woman glanced down at her bust, her expression suddenly becoming fierce. "You bitch! Someone like you doesn't have the right to make fun of me!" She shouted, smirking with a nasty inflection. "Bigger isn't necessarily better, but in the case of an ugly troll like you, it hardly matters either way!"

"What did you just call me?" the other girl squared up to her opponent and made a fist. "At least I have some feminine charm. If someone decided to cut those mosquito bites off your chest, most people would mistake you for a dude!"

"I may not have freakishly giant cow-tits like some girls, but at least I don't have dull pink hair and a forehead so big that a pilot could land an airplane on it."

Ino let out a light chuckle, gently nudging her friend in the side. "She's definitely got you there, billboard brow."

"Don't add more fuel to the fire, Ino." Shikamaru added in a flat tone, his normally calm face betraying subtle hints of annoyance.

Lee pumped his fist into the air with an excited yell. "I, for one, believe this is an excellent opportunity for you ladies to prove your strength as true practitioners of the martial arts. As skilled fighters, it is only fitting we settle this dispute with a display of our skills and tenacity!"

Takeda leaned in to the boy standing beside him. "Do your friends always act like this?"

"Not always…" Naruto smiled with a goofy grin. "On bad day sometimes we take turns beating on each other.

"Sounds like you guys are pretty hard core." Ukita stepped into the conversation.

"We can bicker like that forever, but it's pretty rare that anyone gets hurt. I still have some bumps on my head from Sakura's punches, but it's nothing you need to worry about it. She's got a bad temper, but we wouldn't serious harm other people unless they deserved it."

Sakura scowled before tossing her jacket to her friend, the sense of anger emanating from her body becoming deeper. "If want to pick a fight, then I'm ready! Bring it on, washboard!"

"I thought you'd never ask, forehead monster!" Kisara stepped forward, a sense of dread filling the room as they stared directly into each other's eyes. "Whoever wins proves once and for all which one of us is the stronger one, you in or not?"

"Apparently those ears are just for show, considering I just finished answering that question." She replied challengingly.

"What's going on in here?" a familiar voice screamed, causing the gathered fighters to shift their attention towards the back door.

Haruo Nijima burst into the room followed closely by three other men, two of which was familiar to Naruto while the other was entirely new. Kenichi took up the lead, closely followed by Siegfried. He followed behind his superior, with a rather cheerful expression despite his body still bearing signs of last night's injuries. The composer's jacket was open, revealing his heavily bandaged torso, although his hat still and quill remained in place. One of his legs was in a cast, and his right arm held a crutch to support his weight.

The second man flanking their leader was a large, heavily built individual whose bulk easily rivaled Choji's, and he possessed a very muscular physique. He had a very harsh appearance with a square-set jaw and thick eyebrows, his short brown hair ending in large sideburns that framed the sides of his face. He also wore a large, sleeveless kimono with the kanji for "release spirit" and "ready" emblazoned on both sides of the chest area, the lack of covering showing off his large, well-defined biceps. Due to his status as a practitioner of Sumo Style, Thor typically didn't wear any shoes.

"Cower in fear you mortal fools, the generals of the Shinpaku Alliance have come to grace you with their glorious presence!" Nijima let out an obnoxious cackle, earning a collective groan from several of his so-called subordinates.

"It's just a meeting, calm down before you do something stupid." Kenichi replied nonchalantly before turning his back to the alien. He looked up in time to see a familiar girl approaching. "Oh, hey Ino! Good to see you guys made it."

She smiled and nodded. "It took some doing, but we managed to talk everyone else into showing up for this thing."

"That's cool, I guess… Must've taken some doing, since even I don't usually like to come to Nijima's meetings most of the time."

Upon seeing the blonde girl, Siegfried limped over and tilted his hat like a gentleman. "I hope you two will pardon my intrusion, but I would just like to thank the young Miss Yamanaka for saving my life last night. Had she and her friend not agreed to help me, it is very possible that I would not be alive today to show my gratitude."

"No problem… Siegfried, was it?" she asked with an equally cheerful expression.

"My real name is Hibiki Kugenin, although my friends have referred to me as Siegfried for the longest time. The alias I chose represents my desire to be an immortal composer whose music will reach the ears of the masses and remain forever in their hearts!"

Konoha's top disciple popped up from behind them, startling the group. "Good to meet you!" he shouted, giving the man's hand a shake. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! We didn't get introduced last night because you were passed out by the time they dragged you butt into the clinic. At least you're doing all right. "

Siegfried bowed his head, shaking slightly due to his injuries. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my energetic young friend. General Nijima has mentioned your name to me during our gatherings before, and claims that your friends are all very talented young fighters eager to join the ranks of the Shinpaku Alliance."

"I dunno about joining this madhouse, especially considering that Sakura is just about ready to snap your friend in half back there." He commented casually pointing over his shoulder as his gaze shifted to the others. "I would introduce you to the rest of the crew, but it looks like they're a little busy right now."

Ryozanpaku's disciple glanced over his shoulder. "It looks like your friends are busy getting acquainted with Kisara."

Nijima smirked in delight as he pranced over to inspect the situation more closely, jumping onto the nearest table when no one seemed to notice him. "SILENCE, YOU WORMS!" he screamed, throwing his head back and his fists in the air like an angry dictator.

The scene froze for a moment, with Kenichi, Naruto, Ino, and Siegfried stopping mid-sentence to stare at the quarreling girls. Kisara stood with her arms restrained by Ukita and Takeda while Sakura was being held back by Choji and Lee. Behind them, the resident genius had decided not to get involved and stood with his back resting against the wall and his hands in his pockets. For some reason, the group of highly skilled fighters had been temporarily paralyzed by the alien's declaration, even the Konoha Disciples. While everyone had diverted their attention, the smartest of the group was the first to recover.

Shikamaru looked up at him with a spark irritation before breaking the silence. "I'm guessing you must be the alien dude that my friends were complaining about. You're the one who called us here, am I right?"

"Haruo Nijima, general of the Shinpaku Alliance." The pointy-eared man replied with a mocking bow, his eyes moving towards the squabble going on behind him. "While we would all enjoy watching you ladies tear each other to shreds, I highly suggest that you save the fighting for later. At the moment, we have much more urgent matters to discuss."

Kisara shook herself free of her captor's hold and glared at their self-proclaimed leader. "I don't take orders from you, alien freak!"

"Neither do I… I'm not ever a member of this group!" Sakura added with a similar expression.

Shikamaru stepped between them and sighed. "Settle down people. Personally I don't care if you guys get along or hate each others' guts, but we have some stuff to do and should probably try and get along at least while we're forced to occupy the same room."

Ino nodded in agreement. "He's right… I don't like Mr. Spock any more than you guys do, but this isn't the way to act when we've got bigger problems."

"Thanks for the support Ino, I was really hoping we could all just get along and at least try to be friends." Kenichi exhaled deeply before looking at the others and putting on a smile. "C'mon guys, maybe we should try starting over again."

"C'mon guys! Quit acting like a bunch of babies and just introduce yourselves. If we're in this for the long haul, we might be civil about it!" The blonde girl added before winking at the boy standing beside her.

Nijima stepped up and took the stage. "We have some similar interests at the moment and I figured it would be mutually beneficial for us to share our information on the enemy." the demon-like student replied with an evil grin. "As expected there are several members of your group that I have yet to recognize. Perhaps we should start with some harmless introductions before we get down to the important stuff."

After a moment's hesitation, Takeda approached Lee and tried introducing himself, prompting the others to emulate this activity. Ino and Kenichi exchanged relived expressions at having convinced the others. Ryozanpaku's disciple had to admit that in only a week they had become pretty good friends through their mutual love of gardening. Seeing how she was willing to help him out in a pinch proved this, but he was beginning to wonder if everyone else would learn to get along soon enough.

"I guess it's time we joined this little meet and greet." Ino smiled back at him before walking off.

"All right, I'll be there in a second." Kenichi replied, silently glad that at least she was on board with this whole teamwork-building seminar.

Meanwhile, Nijima stepped up to the seemingly bored man standing across from him. "I can tell just but looking at you that you're a true genius just like yours truly. Would I be correct to guess that you're the leader of your little sparring group, or am I wrong."

"If anyone's the leader, it's me!" Naruto barreled into the conversation. "I'm the number one disciple of Konoha, which means that out of everyone, the masters picked me to be the top dog!"

Shikamaru grabbed him by the face and shoved him away. "Chill out knucklehead, I never said I was the leader. This guys just assumed I was…"

Choji stepped in with a cheerful expression. "Actually, Shikamaru is the guy we go to whenever there's something important to discuss. I guess you could say he's the boss when it comes time to handling serious situations, although honestly we don't really have an official leader."

"That sounds like total anarchy." Nijima added with a tone of mingled humor and disgust.

Thor cut a wide path through the group as he joined them. "Enough about that crap, I'm more interested to hear what kind of fighting techniques you Konoha kids use in a battle!"

"First, you care to introduce yourself, big guy?" Shikamaru questioned their newest guest.

He let out a deep, good-natured laugh and pounded his chest to show off his immense strength. "The name's Thor, and I'm the world's first and greatest combat sumo fighter! There's not a single man alive who knows how to use this ancient art in a real fight nearly as well as I do!"

The genius inclined his head courteously. "I'm Shikamaru Nara, and these two are my friends, Naruto Uzumaki and Choji Akamichi."

Naruto looked up at the larger man with wide eyes. "Whoa dude, you're even fatter than Choji!"

Without warning, the overweight fighter aimed a punch as the blonde disciple, only for the blow to be deflected by the even larger man. Thor slapped his hand away before it struck Naruto and smiled widely, eliciting a sour expression from Choji. "Sheesh, it's not like I was even aiming for you, dude."

The sumo wrestler slapped his stomach jovially. "Lighten up kid, we're supposed to be getting along, remember? Besides, there's nothing wrong with being a big guy anyway! Some people might consider it a good thing. As long as you know how to use your bulk in a battle, it's not an insult to be fat!"

"What on Earth or you talking about?" Choji raised an eyebrow, his previous anger at Naruto all but forgotten in the face of the larger man's words.

"You're a funny guy, but I like you." Thor began with an enthusiastic expression. "Just answer this question for me: Do you ever use your size in a fight to overwhelm the opponent?"

He thought about it for a second. "I guess you could say I do… When I perform death blows using Hun Gar style, I shift all of my weight into whatever part of me is striking the opponent to maximize the amount of damage I can inflict with each strike."

The sumo fighter smacked his knees and stomped the floor, causing the entire room to shake nicely. "Exactly what I was saying! When you're a martial artist, you can use it to crush your enemies! Don't let anyone else make you feel ashamed of that! This is some prime advice for all the fat guys of the world!"

Choji looked slightly confused, although he no longer appeared to be annoyed. "Don't know if I agree with it completely, but you've got an awesome attitude. Almost makes me wish that people were more open-minded about this sort of thing."

"You're a good man, Choji Akamichi!" Thor replied with a warrior's glare. "I wouldn't mind getting a chance to spar with you some time to see those moves you were talking about before. They sounded really awesome and I figured I might be able to use them while developing my combat sumo technique."

The overweight boy nodded in agreement. "If we ever get the chance to fight, I would be an honor to take you on! I've never heard of the idea of someone using sumo in a real fight, so it would be pretty interesting either way." He paused for a moment and extended his arm.

"You've got a deal!" the two men shook hands as if they were trying to crush the other person's fingers, although this was done out of competitiveness rather than aggression.

As their conversation continued, Siegfried was doing the best to entertain the guests by pulling live animals from his hat and seemingly conjuring a number of pigeons from his sleeves. While the man classified himself as a martial artist and composer, his friends also knew him as an amateur magician. It was a fun hobby and great at large gatherings. Since some of the people present were hesitant to mingle, he had used magic tricks to diffuse the sense of awkwardness that permeated the room.

Siegfried removed his hat, released several doves into the air, the birds disappearing as they flew into the sleeves of his jacket. "Tada!" he bowed, earning a small round of clapping from his small audience.

"Wow, that's pretty cool! I've never heard of a martial artist magician before!" Lee commented with a wide-eyed expression.

"You learn something new every day, my eager young friend." The well-dressed fighter replied, gently straightening his hat using his opposite hand.

Sakura folded her arms, although her expression remained carefree. "Fighting, singing, magic, composing music… You seem like a really talented guy, Siegfried."

The man bent over and kissed her hand. "I truly thank you for the compliments, although such things are not necessary. I see everything I do as an extension of myself. From the thrill of battle to the art of performance, it all inspires my musical genius to produce even greater masterpieces that push the boundaries of rhythm and sound."

"You certainly seem passionate about this sort of thing." The pink-haired girl replied with a half-smile. "It almost makes me wish I could find something that made me feel this pumped about studying my master's style."

Siegfried sat down on a wooden chair and placed his crutch to the wall. "Everyone has a reason for why they fight, but we are all different, much like the styles of Beethoven and Mozart." He paused for a moment and smiled reassuringly. "I could sense a note of doubt behind your dulcet tones, so perhaps you could tell me your own reasons for being a martial artist."

She paused for a moment or two before answering. "When I was a kid, some stupid boys on the playground were pulling my hair and making fun of my forehead. It happened all the time, so I was used to it, but one day Ino saw what was going on and scared them off with her Kung Fu. It turns out she came from a family who studied the martial arts, and it inspired me to become a stronger person. We've been best friends ever since!"

"Sometimes even the smallest moments in our lives can inspire us to move onto bigger and better things!" the well-dressed man replied with a serious, yet understanding expression.

Despite having remained quiet so far, Kisara plopped down on a chair in front of them. "I never wouldn't guessed that you and I would have something in common, pinkie."

Sakura glanced down at the girl she had been arguing with only minutes ago. "Really… Care to share a little bit?"

The redhead placed her hands behind her head and kicked back with a shadow of a smile. "When I first started learning Taekwondo at a local dojo, I clobbered one of the boys in a sparring match. Afterwards, I overheard him telling some friends that he went easy on me because I was a girl." Her gaze hardened considerably at the memory. "Needless to say, I was pissed…"

"This man sounded like he was very small-minded to discriminate by gender!" Lee added with a small look of outrage. "One cannot judge an opponent so foolishly and unfairly unless they wish to be dealt a most crushing defeat."

"Yeah, tell me about it…" she replied with the tiniest of nods. "Anyway, I got pissed after what happened at the dojo and decided to leave. One day while I was fighting some punks on the street, some chauvinistic neanderthal started saying a girl could never take him on. I thought he would kill me, but a man appeared out of nowhere and took him down with a single swing."

The pink-haired girl clenched her fist and smiled. "Hell yeah, that's what I'm talking about!"

Kisara seemed like she was rather enjoying herself. "It turned out my new hero was Freya of the Eight Fists, one of the leaders of Ragnarok. She inspired me the same way your friend did to you, and during those days we spent training together, I really looked up to her."

Sakura paused as she processed the story, her face lighting up with a look of familiarity after minute. "Your comment earlier about those boys at the dojo reminds me a lot of my master."

The red-haired girl raised an eyebrow. "You saying your master has a problem with boys who think men are better than women?"

"When she was drunk, sometimes Lady Tsunade would start going on about the old days when women were considered inferior to men in the world of martial arts." The pinkette smiled as she remembered her master's inebriated state. "Apparently her dream as a young fighter was to show the world that a woman could be just as powerful as any man, and she managed to achieve this goal several years later."

"A most inspiring tale, my friend!" Siegfried merrily clapped his gloved hands together.

Sakura nodded in agreement. "She was my other inspiration, and I've decided that one day I hope to be an example to other female fighters just like her."

Kisara rested her boots on another chair and stretched. "You know what, Pinkie? For a pain in the neck, you're not so bad."

"Strange how I was just thinking the same thing." The younger girl replied with a smile, her expression shifting into a challenging look moments later. "That doesn't mean I've given up on that sparring match you promised me earlier… No one calls me an troll and gets away with it."

"I believe I said _ugly troll_." The Valkyrie added with a similar expression. "With alien boy breathing down our necks it's probably not the right time to settle this, but I promise we'll get our chance soon. That okay, billboard brow?"

"I that's what you want, flat chest." Sakura added with a grin.

The conversations in he room continued for several more minutes before Nijima slammed a gavel against the surface of the table, immediately gathering the attention of the assembly as he stepped on top of a wooden crate in the center of the room. "Now that we've gotten a chance to know each other a little bit better, let the first official Shinpaku Alliance/Konoha Crew Meeting hereby commence!"

Meanwhile…

Deep under Team Hebi's hideout was a large room built specifically for battles. A large pit was carved into the middle of the room, made deep with slick metal walls to prevent fighters from fleeing during a match. Two passages on other sides of the battleground were the only way in or out of the put, but most of the time the openings were covered with steel bars. Bleachers lining the sides of the fighting arena made the room look like something out of the Roman Coliseum, although today the seats were occupied by a select group of individuals.

Due to the room's dingy lighting, several cloaked figures were difficult to make out through the shadows. The only might in the room hung directly over the pit, focusing on the those who were fortunate, or unfortunate enough to have been brought here. Usually large groups of their gang's members would gather here to watch epic battles between those chosen to fight for the masses, but tonight was a different kind of event. Only the Devil Fist and his top subordinates comprised the audience for this particular show, a spectacle they had been watching now for a while now.

Haku stood in the center of the battle arena, his body barely able to move due to the injuries he received from the previous day's battles. The older wounds were now mixing with those he had received from several Team Hebi grunts. While he could have easily handled a few squads of weaklings without breaking a sweat, his body was beginning to feel the strain after fighting a constant stream of thugs for the last few hours. Whenever the weapons-user managed to defeat one group the barred gates would open, revealing a fresh group for him to fight.

As the pack he had just defeated was escorted from the arena, Haku braced himself for the next wave. "Damn…" he hissed through grit teeth. "I can't keep this farce up for much longer." He closed his eyes and tried to gather hits wits again, but the barred entrances did not open.

Sasuke clapped mockingly as stood up from his seat, the boy's stoic face becoming visible as he stepped into the dim light. "Very good, Haku… I can see why you managed to obtain the title of Demon." He mused out loud. "Have you had enough of this yet?"

"You bastard!" Haku glared at his superior with a poisoned expression. "It is inhumane, forcing people to endure these Hellish games for your own amusement!"

Before their leader could answer, Karin removed her hood. "You speak as if you didn't have this coming." She began with a sinister smile. "Anyone who disgraces Team Hebi while under direct orders of the boss must endure the Punishment Games to atone for their sins against the syndicate. Consider this a measure of justice…"

The injured boy grasped his chest and lurched forward in pain, an ironic smile gracing his feminine features. "People like you could ever understand justice." He refocused his gaze on the Devil Fist in particular. "Tell me, Sasuke… Was my defeat at the hands of Kenichi Shirahama so humiliating that you would sacrifice my life as compensation for your own pride?"

"The kid's got guts…" Kiba snickered from beneath his hood, looking highly entertained.

"Pride has nothing to do with it, although you need not worry about dying today." The Uchiha replied with a pitiless expression, his eyes moving over the boy's body. "Since it would appear the punishment has taken its toll, I shall allow you to keep your life this time. Fail Team Hebi again, and next time I will spill your blood with my own hands."

Jugo glanced over at their superior. "Come to think of it, why isn't Guren participating in this event? She also failed to kill her target, was soundly defeated in much the same manner as Haku in our recent attack."

"Since we placed him in charge, he will be the one to suffer. As the person leading the mission to eliminate the Shinpaku, its failure falls on his shoulders alone. That is what it means for a man to take responsibility for their actions." Sasuke replied coldly.

Haku swallowed his nerve, silently gathering his courage before answering his leader. "If that's the case, then this failure is your own blunder just as much as it is mine!" Several murmurs of discontent echoed through the room as he said this. "As the leader of Team Hebi, the blame for the failure of its members should fall upon you!"

"I see…" Sasuke turned his head as his aura suddenly became dark and cold, but when he spoke his voice was level and calm. "I believed that you could still be useful to our cause, but it would appear from your response that there is no longer any hope for you in this organization."

The feminine boy was frightened in that moment while also regretting that he had spoken his mind so readily. Haku had returned to Team Hebi with the hops of finding his master, but now it all felt so pointless. He felt the killing intent radiating from the Uchiha and cringed slightly, the mere presence of the man making it feel as though his spirit were being devoured by an endless darkness. Something about the Devil Fist set him apart from the other members of the gang, and in this moment, Haku remembered exactly what.

"You've outlived you usefulness… Goodbye, Haku." Sasuke prepared to jump into the arena to finish off the enemy personally, but one of the robed figures stepped in his path before he could even take a step.

The man removed his hood, revealing his pale features and long brown hair. He was roughly the same height as the Uchiha with light whitish-purple colored eyes and pupils in the same. Despite his status as one of the Demons of Team Hebi, the man seemed immune to the feelings of dread that the others were feeling, and refused to back down. The man locked gazes with the Devil Fist, their eyes so different from each other that the staring contest seemed more like a struggle between the light and the darkness. Although neither backed down, the Uchiha lowered his stance and relaxed his shoulders.

"I trust you have a reason for placing your life at risk by standing in my way?" He began with a note of amusement.

The man nodded in agreement before stepping back. "I agree that the boy has failed you, but it would be in such poor taste to end his life like a dog. For someone who claims to have so much pride as a martial artist, it is clear to me that you are still ruled by your own petty emotions."

Sasuke refused to avert his eyes. "Perhaps you would like to die next, Neji?"

"Killing an opponent who is no longer able to fight back is the mark of a miserable coward. If you believe yourself to be a true martial artist, I recommend you allow his wounds to heal before dealing he finishing blow. Refuse to comply with this code, or your position as our leader will be a empty and meaningless as the orders you give."

The Devil Fist considered killing the man standing in front of him for a moment, but decided that he was right despite his defiant attitude. His remaining subordinates remained completely still as if they were afraid to make any sudden movements. Neji along with Jugo were said to be on a completely different level than the other Demons of Team Hebi, but even they would probably be no match for their leader. The tension in the air lingered for a moment as the others waited for a fight to break out, but fortunately the moment never came. After due consideration, Sasuke exhaled deeply and made a sweeping movement with his hand, prompting the Hyuga clansman to step aside.

"I agree…" he began with an emotionless expression. The Devil Fist snapped his fingers and motioned to the girl sitting behind him. "Karin, I want you to retrieve Haku from the pit and treat his wounds to the best of your ability."

She spared a glance at the boy's unconscious form and straightened her glasses. "Forgive me, but I thought your intention was to execute him."

Sasuke turned to face her, looking rather serious. "It still is, but as he is now it wouldn't be worth the effort. I should thank Neji, because he was correct to mention that a true martial artist does not kill an opponent who lacks the power to fight back."

Kiba sat back with a bored expression, gently sharpened his clawed hand against the wide of the wooden bleachers. "So what do you plan to do now, devil boy? Nurse the girly man back to health just so you can finish him off at full strength."

"That's exactly my plan…" their leader replied, not even choosing to acknowledge the dog-like man's rudeness. "Haku will remain under house arrest until he has regained his health, and when that day comes I shall personally see to his fate." He turned to the group as a whole. "Until that day, no one is to lay a hand on the traitor!"

As Karin retrieved the body and carted Haku away for treatment, the remaining members fell silent once again. Satisfied with his input being heard, Neji Hyuga had returned to his seat and fallen silent again. Truthfully, he rarely had anything to say during the gang's meetings, and usually wished that their leader would just die and get it over with. He had his own reasons for joining Team Hebi that had nothing to do with the Uchiha's agenda and the Great Serpent God's will, and loathed the master and his disciple entirely.

Sasuke turned to the seated fighters and addressed them again. "Now that I've dealt with that annoyance, we can finally get down to business."

"Just what are you going on about now?" Kiba wrinkled his nose with distaste. "We just got through watching your army of thugs beat up a guy that was already half-dead anyway. What's next, strangling children or disemboweling small animals for you amusement?"

"That's enough of your shit!" A wild look came into Jugo's normally calm eyes as he pulled the smaller man into a headlock and started strangling him. The boy struggled against him for a moment, but his attacks were barely fazing the gigantic killer.

"Know your place, or I'll be forced to disciple you like a disobedient hound." Sasuke added before gesturing for his subordinate. "You can put him down now, Jugo. If he became damaged goods, his value to the cause would decline considerably."

After a moment, sanity seemed to return to the fiery-haired giant, and he dropped Kiba onto the floor, causing the others to shift uneasily. The dog-like man wanted nothing more than to savagely attack his colleagues, but he knew that with the current odds he would probably be dead in less than two minutes. Jugo's massive strength wasn't something he had expected. Kiba let out a feral growl before sitting back down, his eyes narrowing dangerously at his former captor and their supposed leader. At the same time he was beginning to see the variation that Team Hebi's forces possessed, especially after the recent display.

The Devil Fist stood before his elites, his expression twisting into a grimace. "As I was trying to say, we have some important issues to discuss. Thanks to the incompetence of Haku and Guren, we failed to eliminate the Shinpaku Alliance."

"I fail to see how that has anything to do with the rest of us. In the worst case scenario, we will simply have to renew our attempts." Kimimaro rationalized calmly.

"Normally that would be the case, but word from my spy network is that the Shinpaku members we targeted received some help from the Konoha Disciples attending the same school." He explained to the others.

Jugo cleared his throat nervously. "I understand that your original plan was for our faces to face both threats separately to avoid complications, but by some twist of fate, it would appear that the two enemy factions have come to each other's aide in more than once occasion."

"This was precisely what you were trying to prevent, was it not?" Neji questioned their leader with a pensive expression.

Sasuke took a second to keep his emotions in check before nodding in agreement. "I was hoping that by killing off Kenichi Shirahama and Haruo Nijima, the Shinpaku Alliance would fall apart, thereby removing them from the equation altogether. Since the people I assigned this mission to failed miserably, some unseen factors might very well have resulted in something we did not predict."

"Which would mean what for us?" Kimimaro did a spinning gesture with his hand, beckoning the man to continue.

"It means that we might be facing attacks from both sides now." The Devil Fist explained with a cold glare, causing the others to fall silent once more. "I was more than prepared to destroy the Shinpaku Alliance when we first dispatched underlings to Kouryou High, but the situation complicated when my old teammates decided to make their appearance. I believed we could handle this carefully at first, but now that they are all aware of our objectives, we may be forced to deal with both enemy factions at once."

Kiba spat on the floor. "So what, I thought you freaks welcomed a good challenge. The dudes you sent to deal with these guys weren't all that impressive anyway. If the rest of you would just get off your lazy asses every once and a while, maybe this problem wouldn't have gotten so fucking serious!"

"It would appear that we have the next volunteer…" Kimimaro added smoothly.

The feral fighter almost fell off his seat, but his look of annoyance quickly changed to one of anticipation. "All right… If you idiots want me to go next I won't waste my time arguing. What do ya say, devil eyes? You gonna give a real fighter a crack at this high school punks, or do you think they'll be to weak to keep me interested?"

Sasuke seemed to find his response interesting. "I was intending on selecting you next anyway, although the current situation, I cannot allow you to take on this mission alone."

"Screw that, I don't need your morons tagging a long with me. They'll only slow me down!"

"If you refuse, I could very well send you to join Haku in the infirmary." Their leader spoke calmly, but anyone who knew him was also aware that the threats he made were real. When the dog-like man didn't answer, he continued speaking. "Karin will lead this mission, and you will be her subordinate."

"I already told you that I don't need any help, much less that red-haired menace." Kiba argued, baring his fangs at the man.

The Devil Fist remained undaunted. "In a good game of chess, the pawns have to be in place before the stronger pieces can make their move. I will brief you on the mission later tonight and we will go over the details together before starting the operation. Until that time comes, we have one more important issue to discuss."

Kimimaro fingered the metal rod in his hand before returning his weapon to its case. "You must be referring to Haku's dismissal."

"With the ranks or our targets growing stronger, we cannot afford to be short-handed in the future." Sasuke explained with a discontented look.

Neji stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Guren might be recovering for a while, seeing how the Great Serpent God hasn't shown any interest in helping her like he did Suigetsu."

"Do we have any candidates for replacing that rat, Haku?" Jugo pondered.

"No way, I've seen the divisional members vying for the position of Demon, and most of them are even bigger jokes than the majority of you guys." Kiba sniped with a feral grin.

Kimimaro shook his head. "I believe that one of the fighters in my elite squadron may be suited for the position, although none of them show any desire to take up a higher position of authority due to their preference for fighting in the field." He paused maddeningly before glancing over at their leader. "Perhaps there is someone in your division who might be interested in the job?"

"There is someone from our spy network that might be suited for the position, although the idea of allowing this man into our ranks may be unwise due to some rumors floating around about his personal history." Jugo explained carefully.

Their leader considered the possibility. "We are in urgent need of a commander to bolster the ranks. I may be inclined to let this pass if you obtain some information on this man and send it to me. For the time being, I will personally inspect the ranks of our senior members and see if any of them are worthy of the desired title."

"If that is what you wish, it shall be done." the fiery-haired giant replied with an obedient bow.

Sasuke stood back up and swept towards the door without so much as a glance back. "You are all dismissed… We reconvene in five hours in the main meeting hall. Do not be late!"

Meanwhile…

Miles away in a large building in Tokyo, Suigetsu was retrieving his last medical treatment. He was sitting on what appeared to be an operating table in the middle of a room filled with several odd machines that looked like something out of a futuristic movie. He had spent the last week in this institution, knowing it was run by the Great Serpent God and his subordinates on behalf of a much larger organization. While waiting for the doctor to return, he began to grow impatient with the whole ordeal. Despite feeling better, he was permitted to leave the premises until they discharged him.

After waiting for several minutes, the door opened, revealing the presence of a man. He was of average height and build, wearing a typical doctor's outfit consisting of a white coat, a collar shirt, and dress pants. The man looked as if he were only in his early twenties, with a medium skin tone and long gray hair kept in ponytail. The medical examiner had dark eyes and arched eyebrows, with a large pair of circular glasses and a few bangs hanging over his face, parted down the middle.

"All right, Suigetsu… Looks like this'll be the last one for now." He greeted in a friendly tone.

"Just get it over with!" the swordsman barked with an impatient expression.

The newcomer reached into his jacket and pulled out a syringe, giving it a playful squirt before jabbing the needle into his patient's left arm with excessive force. Suigetsu let out an angry hiss as he was stabbed by the doctor, a large vein pulsing violently on his forehead as he waited for the injection to finish. Whatever was in the shot burned as it coursed through his body, but from what he had seen so far, the treatment had been slowly increasing his physical strength. The pain that came with it was well worth the advantages.

The doctor smiled pleasantly. "Looks like you're done…" he took out a clipboard and skimmed through the data. "I'll have to alert my superior that you're ready to be discharged at any…"

"Kabuto, you bastard! No one stabs me like that and lives!" Suigetsu swung his wooden blade at the man with as much power as he could muster, but his sword passed harmlessly through the air as the doctor seemingly vanished.

He began looking around, but the feeling of cold metal against his throat caused him to freeze in shock. The medical assistant leaned in closer, his face protruding over the man's shoulder as he pressed the sharp side of the scalpel against his neck. "I'll admit, you've got some guts trying to take on a master-level opponent. Either that, or you're just that stupid…"

"Shut up!" the swordsman readied his weapon to strike again, but by the time he was ready to strike, the man had appeared to his front again. He swung a few times, but the doctor made very subtle movements to dodge, looking highly amused.

"Aggressive, aren't you?" Kabuto replied in a mocking tone. He twirled the surgeon's tool between his fingers a few time before making a series quick movements with his wrist so fast that the boy could barely see them.

Suigetsu blinked with a confused look as pieces of his blade broke apart and fell the floor, having been sliced up only seconds ago. "What the Hell! You actually cut my sword with a scalpel?" he shouted incredulously, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You're dead, four-eyes!"

"Wouldn't do that if I were you… The Great Serpent God told me to keep you alive and well due to your value as an experimental subject, but that doesn't mean I won't kill you if you pose a danger to my person." The older man straightened his spectacles, the sinister glint in his eyes causing the swordsman to stop. "That' a good boy. Now if you'll excuse me, I have more important things to do than babysitting you."

He ignored the irritated growl that came from the boy and left him to his own designs, gently closing the door behind him as he left. Kabuto glanced at his watch quickly realizing that he did have some place important to be at the moment. There was a meeting going on upstairs that he was required to attend. Changing his direction, the young master stepped into an elevator and headed to the top floor, hesitating for a moment outside of the door leading to their private meeting room.

The room beyond was a dark chamber with a large monitor on the wall and only the faintest source of lights, although the screen remained blank and empty at the moment. Two figures were already present in the room with Kabuto being the last to show up. Nevertheless, it appeared as though the meeting hadn't started yet. The smaller of the figures stepped into the light, revealing a slim man with long dark hair, amber eyes, small slit pupils, and a sickly pale complexion. He wore a plain sleeveless gray robe, black pants, a dark long-sleeved shirt, and a thick purple rope belt.

"Ah, Kabuto… It's good to see you made it in time." The man replied with a sinister smile.

"Thank you, Lord Orochimaru." He answered with a respectful bow of his head. "Just as you ordered, I administered the final dose of your experimental serum to the patient. This particular drug should take full affect in roughly ten hours, after which we should probably send him back to Team Hebi."

"Indeed, I look forward to seeing how my newest project fairs when he takes to the field." The snake-like man let out a soft laugh.

The last member of their three-man party stood up from his place on the couch. "If this little experiment of yours harms my brother in any way, I promise to amputate your legs." He hissed dangerously.

"Come now, Mangetsu… There's no need for you to worry." Orochimaru replied, looking completely unconcerned by the threat.

His visitor stepped into the light, revealing the man appeared to be very much like an older, larger version of his younger brother. Mangetsu was more muscular and possessed a slightly bigger frame and longer hair, although his body structure and build were pretty much the same. Although his outfit was similar to that of Suigetsu, the sharp-toothed man preferred darker colors. One of his most noticeable features was the gigantic broadsword hanging from his back by a strap. It was shaped like a butcher knife with two holes in it, one towards the base of the cleaver, and the other near the widened end of the blade.

The larger man glared at his host. "I came here when our superior's told me that you were doing some experiments on Suigetsu. How exactly do you know that this will not impede his ability to kill an opponent?"

"The answer is quite simple…" the Serpent God began in an oily voice. "I tested several does of this particular serum on weaker human test subjects before administering on someone with real fighting abilities to ensure that we would not lose a valuable martial artist. There were no negative affects to speak of, so I don't feel there is a need for you to worry."

"We managed to hammer out all the complications before coming up with this new formula." Kabuto added calmly. "If I remember correctly, we had to dump one of the subjects who received doses of the imperfect formula."

"Poor Guren, she had some much potential." The snake-like man hissed with a note of sarcasm.

"I still don't approve of you using my brother as a guinea pig, whether this formula was successful or not. A true martial artist doesn't require the influence of medicine to gain power. Even though he's an idiot, my brother should never have agreed to this shit!"

Orochimaru shrugged him off. "Talk to him if you want to, but it was his own decision. Just because I gave him the offer, doesn't mean I pressured him to accept it. Personally I'm guessing he endured some kind of loss which resulted in his desire to become stronger."

Before the swordsman would speak again, the large screen on the wall flickered, revealing the shadowy form of a rather large man. From the looks of the newcomer's silhouette, he was wearing some kind of cloak over his body. Although everyone present already knew his identity, this was usually done for security measures. The members of their syndicate were extremely secretive, due to the nature of the organization, so it was perfectly understandable. The room's three occupants turned their attention to the monitor, but the mystery man was the first one to speak amongst the group.

"I trust your experiments have been successful, Serpent God?" the man interrogated him.

"It's been quite a while since we've spoken." Orochimaru replied with a cheerful expression. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? I trust you require my specialized services for something important, or else you would not have contacted me?"

His contact remained impassive for a moment before addressing him again. "If you wish to know the truth, I'll make it quick… Several of the others have become suspicious of your dubious methods as of late, and claim that your experimentations are a perversion of the true Killing Fist philosophy."

"In what way?" Kabuto raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Surely the purpose of the Satsujinken is to cast down one's opponents in order to prove your superiority. The methods we use in order to do it have never once been brought into question before."

"They've begun to question whether or not we can truly prove that our way is the true path of martial arts if we promote the usage of artificial means in order to strengthen our disciples." The man on the screen spoke.

Mangetsu sat back down and sighed casually. "I was thinking the same thing just a few minutes ago… It's about time you people on top decided to make a decision about this travesty."

Kabuto leaned in anxiously, looking nervous as he felt his master's killing intent. "Speaking of which, have they come to a decision concerning this matter?"

"We haven't completely, but you understand that our leader has begun to pose this question. If the decision is made to cancel your projects, we may lose the necessary funding to continue this research." The silhouette answered.

Orochimaru felt his hands clench so hard that his nails were digging into his palms, but after a moment, he managed to regain his eerily cheerful composure. "Are you saying that this could very well be the end of the line for us? Why is our leader even considering the idea of ruining my work? To think that someone of his caliber would be so small minded…"

"Considering there are nine of us, my say is limited in this decision. With some maneuvering, I might be able to keep them from coming to a solid decision."

The serpent-like man felt his composure slipping. "And if the policy is not in our favor, the syndicate is certain to cut all funding to my research department? I will not allow this to happen so easily."

"If it comes to that, you may have no choice but to speak to the One Shadow personally, but I doubt it would do you any good if he supports the opposing argument."

"Damn him to Hell!" Orochimaru replied with an uncharacteristically angry scowl, his fist smashing a hole clean through the nearest wall.

Kabuto looked as if he had just been punched in the stomach. "This could be bad for us…"

"There is one more matter I wish to discuss with you." The man on the screen interrupted them.

The Serpent God looked back up at the monitor, his usual composure returning. "I had a feeling there was more to this." He began with a sly expression. "Would I be correct to guess that you need a favor from me?"

"My disciple was involved in an intense battle several months ago and was permanently crippled due to his use of a forbidden technique I taught him. If anyone could repair the damage he sustained during that battle, I assumed it would be you."

Orochimaru smirked evilly at the thought. "I might be willing to try, although it seems unlike you to care so much about a single subject. Knowing you, whatever ability he used was probably the result of one of your own experiments, am I right?"

"You might say that… Are you willing to lend your services to me."

"It will be interesting to see what you did to the boy, so due to my own fascination, I will agree to your terms." The snake-like man mused. "I'm busy at the moment with my current repertoire of experiments, but when I have an opening, I will gladly accept him as my patient. Let's just hope that the decision about my research is made in our favor."

The mystery man gave him a nasty grin. "It seems like you know how to the play the game well, Orochimaru. Just what I would expect from a former student of the Monkey Sage. Very well, we have a deal…" he replied, the screen flickering off moments later.

As the room fell silent again, Kabuto approached his superior. "So, what do you plan on doing now?"

"The Nine Fists and their leader will probably oppose my experiments due to their miserable pride, but I won't allow them to put an end to my research so easily." The snake-like man replied with a crafty expression. "All I need to do is prove to them that my way is superior, then the rest of Yami will see the truth of my genius!"

Note to Readers: Last chapter was action, so this chapter was story development. The Shinpaku Alliance met with the Konoha Crew, and they hit it off… kinda… You see Sasuke's cruelty and some discontent in his ranks while finding out the identity of another one of the Ten Demons. That leaves two left unmasked. Finally I revealed Orochimaru, even thought his identity was hardly a secret. Kabuto is a master-class fighter and also his assistant in this story just like in Naruto. We also met Suigetsu's brother this chapter, and it's clear he's partially opposed to this current mess. Anyone who's read HSDK can probably guess who Orochimaru was speaking to during their little meeting.

Overall there's a lot in this chapter that will come to play in the future of this story, so I hope you guys were putting the pieces together while you were reading. More importantly, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. As usual I'm sorry if there's some typos, or errors in spelling and grammar, but I typically write chapters for my stories late at night.

Please feel free to comment if you liked something, want to see something happen, or have any guesses or predications as to what will happen next! Don't forget to **REVIEW**! It really motivates me to keep working on this story! If you have any ideas that you think I could use, please contribute!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Lurking in the Darkness**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

The masters and disciples of Konoha stood in lines on either side of the main meeting hall as they prepared for the big announcement, having been called together by the elder that morning. While waiting for the old man to make an appearance, the group went about business as usual. Kakashi read one of his books while Asuma and Kurenai talked amongst themselves. Lee and Guy were standing off to the side practicing their punching motions together, Jiraiya and Tsunade remained quiet, and the remaining students talked amongst each other.

"I can't believe we're finally getting another student in this dump!" Naruto smiled goofily.

Ino nodded in agreement. "I hear it's a girl… That'll be a nice change considering that Sakura and I have been the only female disciples for years now."

Choji wore a positive expression. "I think it'll be good to balance out the boy-girl ratio a bit."

"I actually would have preferred another guy." Sakura added with a playful smile. "After all, there hasn't been any good-looking boys around her since Sasuke decided to get up and leave."

Shikamaru sighed wearily. "Personally speaking, I don't like being compared to him, so I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult."

"Certainly sounded like an insult…" his overweight friend prodded him with a shrug.

"Definitely an insult!" Konoha's number one disciple squinted and stuck his tongue out at the others, his perpetual smile faltering for a moment as he thought of his lost friend. He looked at the floor for a moment and exhaled deeply. "Come to think of it, I hope this new girl's as good a fighter as Sasuke… She's definitely got a big name to life up to."

Sakura stroked her chin thoughtfully at the notion, her face displaying signs of distress as both good and bad memories came to her. Realizing her own vulnerabilities, she quickly shook off the feeling of sadness and spoke up. "It's not really valid to make judgments on people beforehand.

The blonde-haired girl looked amused by the statement. "It's not likely this new girl's tougher than him, especially since he was a shoe-in to be the top disciple before abandoning the dojo."

Naruto frowned again, only this time it looked more like a pout. "What do you mean by that? He might have been the strongest, but that doesn't mean he didn't have some stiff competition. You remember how angry he was when I tied with him in our sparring matches."

"Anyone can get lucky once and a while, and I'm almost certain the masters would've picked him to inherit their techniques if he hadn't left the dojo." Ino replied with a playful snicker. "Besides, punching you is like hitting a piece of lead. You've got more endurance than a tank."

"I didn't like Sasuke much, but I'll be he first one to admit that he was the strongest disciple out of all of us." The genius added grudgingly.

The dojo's top student looked genuinely annoyed. "I still can't help but wonder where what happened to him. If Sasuke were still around, he'd have crushed these Team Hebi guys by now."

"Hell yeah!" Sakura pumped his fist with a confident expression. "Whoever this Devil Fist guy is wouldn't stand a chance against Sasuke."

Choji shook out his long shaggy hair and scratched his head with a puzzled expression. "Didn't this conversation start with us wondering about the new girl? Will someone please tell me how it became the Sasuke fan club meeting?"

Although some of the others looked slightly annoyed by his comment, the group fell silent at the sound of footsteps coming from the stairwell. Naruto and his fellow disciples scrambled to stand besides their respective masters as they took their places on each side of the hall, the assembled fighters focusing their attention on the old man as he entered the hall. Dressed in his typical red and white robes, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained calm and reserved. He held a wooden staff loosely in his left hand and was smoking a pipe. Upon reaching the base of the stairs, he used his opposite hand to remove the pipe from his mouth and stowed it away in his robes.

The elder cleared his throat and closed his eyes for a moment before nodding to his assembled followers. "As you well know, we will be joined by a new student this morning. I trust that all students and faculty are prepared to treat her with due respect and welcome her into our extended family with open arms."

Naruto placed his hand behind his head and squinted. "Hey, old man… It's been awhile since we've gotten a new disciple here at the dojo. Care to tell us why she's dropping in like this, or do we have to start guessing."

"Ugh, why does he always have to run his mouth like that?" Sakura muttered as she looked away and internally slapped her forehead.

Sarutobi shrugged off of the boy's outburst, having expected no less from his top disciple. "It is true that the masters of Konoha Dojo typically train those students who come from families with a history of producing highly skilled martial artists. This is after all the majority of you became students and masters within the walls of this very school… This new student is no different!"

Jiraiya noticed the old man's posturing and decided to speak up. "She's actually a member of the Hyuga Clan, an old prestigious family whose ancestors helped found the dojo. Normally we wouldn't accept students of her age group, but since her father personally made the request and paid in advance, we are willing to make an exception."

"What the crazy pervert means to say is that we've running a little low on cash, and the girl's father gave us a great offer!" Anko simplified the previous statement with an obnoxious laugh, causing some of the older masters to look at her disdainfully. She glanced around and let out an irritable groan. "Don't look at me like that, you know it's true!"

"Blunt as usual, I see… Like master like student." Tsunade commented passively.

"That old psychopath was sadistic and cruel, but he taught me pretty well as far as fighting goes." The younger woman replied with a smarmy look. "As a martial artist he was definitely one of the best, but he failed miserably as a person."

Kakashi pocketed his perverted book. "Orochimaru still remains one of the most dangerous rogues in the world of martial arts. I recall he was extremely secretive and spent a lot of time away even while serving as one of the master of Konoha."

"For those reasons I wasn't surprised the day he declared himself a follower of the Satsujinken and left the dojo behind." Jiraiya replied with a thoughtful expression. "Having known him since we were kids, I always sensed that his ambitions stretched beyond the boundaries of this dojo. It was only a matter of time before he stepped into the world of the killing fist."

Naruto frowned bitterly. "The guy must've been a real jerk to go running out on his friends like that. If you ask me, that screwed up philosophy only works for someone who needs an excuse for killing other people. People fight to protect themselves an others, that's why they call it the art of self defense."

Ino shook her head stubbornly. "It's an age old debate, and you can't just settle it by declaring that the other side is wrong. This argument's been going on longer than we could imagine and will continue long after we're dead and buried!"

"Precisely…" Kakashi added in a somber tone. "Some things in this world will never be resolved within living memory."

Seeing that they were beginning to lose track of the subject, the elder cleared his throat again to silence the group. "Regardless of our former comrade's defection and beliefs, this is neither the time nor place to discuss it." He began calmly before tapping his walking stick against the floor/ "Speaking of which, I believe our guests have arrived."

The doors to the hall opened, revealing two figures unfamiliar to the students. Konoha's residents fell silent as Hiashi Hyuga entered the hall, his wealthy appearance and stature giving off an elitist presence that had most of the disciples in awe. The man wore a blue haori over his suit, further enhancing his royal appearance. His daughter was a fair-skinned girl with pale features and eyes matching those of her father and dark blue waist-length hair cut in a hime-style. She wore a black top, navy blue pants, and black shoes, a long-sleeved lavender zip-up jacket covering her rather shapely physique.

Despite having similar features to her father, the young girl lacked his aura of superiority and instead seemed very reserved and timid even at first glance. She glanced around the room nervously, looking slightly bewildered for a moment while making eye contact with her fellow disciples. The new girl locked eyes with Naruto for a moment, but she felt a small blush come to her cheeks and quickly turned her head forward again. Her father prodded her in the side with a very stern expression, prompting her to stop.

Without so much as glancing back at his child, Hiashi stepped forward and bowed his head to the elder. "I thank you for allowing my daughter entrance to Konoha at such a short notice."

"It is always a pleasure to welcome someone a new student, especially one of such an old and prestigious lineage." Hiruzen nodded once with a stony expression.

The Hyuga clansman returned the motion. "In my experience, just because someone is born to greatness, does not necessarily mean that they can live up to that destiny." His shifted back to his daughter for a moment as he spoke. "I trust you and the other masters will not grant her special treatment while she is studying the martial arts here."

"We treat all of our students equally here, and it is up to the master in question to enforce their own rules while raising a disciple." The old man glanced at the woman standing to his right. "I am certain that we will do well in passing down her teachings to your daughter…" he paused and scratched his chin with an innocently befuddled expression. "Come to think of it, I don't remember catching her name."

Hiashi nudged her roughly, his gaze hardening considerably. "Introduce yourself to your new companions." He hissed impatiently.

She stumbled forward and bowed with a deep blush. "My name is Hinata Hyuga!" she blurted out nervously. "It's a pleasure to meet all of you, and I look forward to getting to know you all."

"Yes, splendid!" the elder replied with a light-hearted smile, gently placing a hand on the girl's shoulder in an attempt to set her mind at ease. When she managed a smile, Hiruzen gestured to her new teacher. "Before we proceed, I would like you to meet the person who will act as your mentor while attending this dojo."

The red-eyed woman stepped forward from the line and approached the girl. "I am Kurenai Yuhi, Konoha's master of Baguazhang." She smiled welcomingly. "From this day forward, I will be your personal instructor."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Kurenai. I promise to do my very best for you." Hinata bowed politely.

"In the martial arts, it is important that you do the best for yourself as well as others. Remember this well." The older woman added with a serious expression before returning the bow.

With this said, Hiashi turned to face the elder again. "I've already instructed some servants take my daughter's luggage to the disciple barracks, so there will be no need to worry about that. So long as she lives under this roof, I will wash my hands of her. I entrust Hinata into your care in the hopes that she will prove more perceptive to your teachings than to my own."

Hiruzen considered him for a moment before agreeing. "We will do our best to train her into a competent young fighter. You have my word as a martial artist and the grandmaster of this dojo."

"See that you do…" The Head of the Hyuga Family turned his back to the old man and began walking towards the exit, his steps halting for a moment as he passed his daughter. Although he refused to even face her, she felt a shiver run down her spine. "Do not disappoint me again." He whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

Hinata found herself staring at the floor again, the corners of her mouth twitching as if she wanted to cry out. "Yes, father…" she whispered timidly, quietly swallowing the lump that had begun to form in her throat.

With a swish of his haori, Hiashi Hyuga strode from the meeting hall, the doors echoing with a loud thud as they closed behind him. Jiraiya watched their visitor go with a slightly distasteful expression, a notion seemingly shared by Tsunade. Kakashi let out a small barely audible sigh, while Guy inclined his head, looking as though he sympathized with the young girl's feelings towards her father. Anko openly frowned once the elder Hyuga had gone, since she had never been fond of his elitist attitude, although she quickly tried to hide these personal thoughts behind an empty expression.

Kurenai approached her new student with a kind expression. "If it's all right with you, perhaps we could start your training tomorrow instead of this afternoon. Is this all right with you?"

"I'll be fine if that's what you want, but my father requested that we begin immediately."

"While within these walls you are no longer directly bound to his teachings." The red-eyed woman replied with a more serious look before casually gesturing towards herself. "As your master it is my responsibility to coordinate, teach, and supervise your training, not his."

Hinata seemed to take a moment to register this. "I understand, Master Kurenai. Please forgive my impertinence."

The elder stepped forward with a welcoming expression. "You needn't worry about your training immediately. Perhaps you should take this day to settle in and unpack your things while getting a chance to know your fellow disciples. Living together in the same building, you'll naturally be seeing a lot of each other from now on. It will make life much easier if you learn a little bit more about your housemates."

"Thank you very much for the wisdom, grandmaster." The timid girl placed her fists together and bowed her head courteously.

"You are very welcome, my young disciple." Hiruzen clapped a hand on her shoulder with a wizened expression before returning to his position at the base of the steps. He smiled at his remaining charges and gestured widely with his free hand. "This meeting is adjourned… In any case, I trust you would all rather be outside on a glorious afternoon such as this!"

"Perhaps the rest of you would be so kind as to give Hinata a tour of our facilities?" Kakashi suggested to the disciples.

Sakura nodded in agreement. "We would be happy to show her around, isn't that right guys?"

"I'll say, let's get to it!" Naruto shouted as he paraded through the door. When no one followed immediately, he turned back to the others. "So, you guys coming or not?"

"Might as well, I don't have anything better to do?" Shikamaru removed his hands from his pockets and reluctantly began to follow.

Although Hinata hesitated for a moment, she was quickly swept into the group and escorted from the room by her new classmates. While the girls seemed happy to have another female in the group, their outgoing personalities seemed at stark contrast with the shy and introverted girl, but at the same time they all seemed quite cheerful. The group left, leaving the masters standing alone in the main hall. The adults began murmuring amongst each other, although the elder waited for the footsteps of their disciples to die away before speaking to his colleagues again.

"I have some important matters to discuss with the rest of you. Please come to my study and we will continue this conversation in private." He stated with a solemn expression.

When no one objected, he ascended the stairs, closely followed by the others. Once they were all gathered in his office, the elder closed the door behind them and took a seat at the table in the center of the room, the remaining masters standing off to the side. Hiruzen folded his hands and exhaled deeply. The others remained quiet in his presence, whether out of anxiousness or respect. Guy shifted uneasily as he imagined what this meeting could possibly be about, although it seemed that the old man picked up on this quickly. Very little managed to escape the elder's keen sight, something that his students and colleagues knew all too well.

Sarutobi glanced up at the assembly. "Since the first order of business has been taken care of, I feel it is imperative that we move onto some of some more pressing matters." He turned to the bushy-browed man. "Last time I requested that you gather some information on the current situation. What have you to present?"

The green-clad master nodded. "I spoke to Lee during our last training session, and he willing told me the truth. Just as we expected, Team Hebi has targeted our students for elimination. Those injuries Lee sustained at the beginning of last week were actually a result of a nasty run-in with those thugs, but from what little we know it would appear that they've largely been able to handle the onslaught."

"I wouldn't expect anything less of our disciples." Anko commented with a satisfied smirk. "It'll take a lot more than a mob of street thugs to take on real fighters!"

"During a trip to Ryozanpaku, I learned that their disciple and a few of his buddies have also been running into some problems with these people." Jiraiya added with a serious look.

Tsunade folded her arms beneath her rather large breasts. "Speaking of which, why were you of all people visiting those arrogant rats at Ryozanpaku?" she considered him for a moment, her eye twitching irritably. "Please don't tell me that you and Kensei Ma were coming up with some new scheme to satisfy your lecherous desires."

"Relax, the whole thing was just one colleague visiting another. It's not like I was helping him plant hidden-cameras or trading playboys, all I did was lend him the pre-release copy of my newest book so he can provide some quality feedback." The white-haired master replied with an innocent look.

"Quality feedback, my ass!" Anko spat with an evil expression. "All you needed was someone as messed up as you to critique how well the world's perverts will appreciate your crappy writing."

"Hey, a guy's gotta make money somehow… Being a martial arts master doesn't pay the bills nearly as well. I'll have you know the vast majority of this dojo's profits comes from my fine publications. You got other talents, it's good to exploit them!" He added with a hasty shrug.

"Don't get too arrogant, especially since you spend most of your extra money on expensive sake and women." Tsunade added bitterly. "If you ask me, my clinic brings in more money once we subtract the profits that you so carelessly throw away on frivolous vices."

Anko snickered at this last comment. "You seem to be forgetting those trips you make to the racetrack, the casino, and the underground fighting arena. Something tells me you don't just go there to watch the events if you know what I mean? There's a reason why everyone in the martial arts world calls you the legendary sucker!"

The older woman felt her temper flaring up. "You insolent little brat! I may have my hobbies, but gambling brings in a lot of profit when I win it big."

"Comparing what you make to what you lose, I can see why the casino owners love you so much." The younger master sniped with a gutsy expression. "If you went down there every night, we would be living in a shack by the river like James Shiba!"

"Don't start comparing me to that idiot…" she replied with an irritated expression.

Hiruzen watched the derailed conversation for a few more seconds before finally putting his foot down. "That's enough!" he stated in a calm yet strong tone, causing the others to stop. "I do not care what you do once we are through here, but at the moment it may be in our best interests to continue with the previous discussion."

Despite having been watching the other bicker, Guy picked up the subject. "We were right to expect that this enemy gang has a desire to prove their power against strong martial artists, but until now I never imagined that anyone would pick a fight with Ryozanpaku at the same time."

Kakashi nodded in agreement, his hands clenching anxiously as he prepared to make his big announcement. "After spending most of last week undercover, I discovered that we were correct about several things. Just as we expected from the beginning, the leader of Team Hebi has been confirmed as none other than Sasuke Uchiha."

"Most of us saw that one coming…" Asuma lit his cigarette with a grim expression.

"This also means that my old master is probably involved in this affair as well." Anko added through grit teeth. "I can't believe that bastard went back to testing his martial arts experiments on kids. You figured he would've learned by now!"

"Orochimaru is indeed very dangerous, but I find it much more disturbing that he is attempting to eliminate our disciples through the use of his own." The elder Sarutobi added solemnly.

The bushy-browed master looked terrified by the thought of losing his apprentice, but he quickly regained his composure. "I have a feeling that there's more to it than that."

Tsunade placed her hands on her hips and frowned. "Just what exactly do you mean by that?"

"Well, when I was talking to Lee, he mentioned that Team Hebi's hidden desire is to prove the superiority of the Satsujinken as the true path of the martial arts. Apparently several enemy fighters they've encountered have been spouting stuff along those lines, and it's got him a little freaked out." Guy stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You don't think that Orochimaru could be…"

"It's not a possibility that we want to consider, although due to his beliefs and past actions, we cannot dismiss the possibility." Jiraiya replied tactfully, a note of fear concealed behind his calm words. "If this is the case, then allowing our disciples to lose to Orochimaru's followers could be more than a matter of pride or bodily harm."

Anko sneered with a bitter expression. "My former teacher believes the martial arts to be the art of killing, so I have no doubt that he's instilled this same philosophy into his own disciples just as he tried with me. He considers those unwilling to do whatever it takes to be failures."

"Because of his involvement, the lives of our students are constantly in danger." Guy frowned.

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "I believe Jiraiya was also referring to some connections that Orochimaru made in his desire for power. If he made contact with Yami, any of his disciples will naturally fall under the jurisdiction of Yomi. If our students lose this battle with Team Hebi, the practitioners of the Satsujinken will have come one step closer to proving the superiority of their philosophy on a global scale."

Kurenai had remained silent so far, but finally decided to speak up. "As far as I know, we don't have any solid proof that Orochimaru sided with Yami. I don't think it wise to make assumptions and assume the worst possible outcome before we can be certain it is the truth."

"That's not entirely true." Jiraiya began with a look of deep concern. "While off on one of my information gathering missions, I discovered some interesting documents indicating that the old snake has been in contact with one of the Nine Fists, and inadvertently the One Shadow himself. It's likely our worst fears have come true."

Anko crossed her arms and shook her head stiffly. "My old teacher's way too arrogant to work for anyone but himself. I find it hard to believe that Orochimaru would ever bow down and kiss someone's ass, especially considered that prick considers himself beyond human."

"There's a difference between pledging one's allegiance, and agreeing to cooperate under the promise of mutual benefit." Asuma paused to take a puff from his cigarette, gently exhaling a small cloud of smoke from his mouth.

"Yami has enough resources and money to be considered it's own nation. This would appeal to someone like him." Tsunade finished with a note of bitterness.

Jiraiya's expression remained deathly serious. "Orochimaru respects those with real strength, even if it's only an admiration for some skills that he doesn't possess. The One Shadow of Yami possesses power surpassing that of any other martial artist I've ever met."

The Serpent God's former student remained undaunted. "I still find it hard to believe, especially when you consider my master spent years trying to cripple their operations. Besides, I've never even seen these people in action…"

Hiruzen seemed to consider her for a moment, his hesitation showing as he pondered whether it would be wise to share this next piece of information. While most of the masters already knew the truth, Anko was the youngest member of the group. Furthermore, she had only been a child at the time of the event and was never let in on the secret before. It wasn't something he had been willing to share with too many people aside from the limited inner circle of Konoha, but at the moment he figured she was ready to know the truth even if their disciples were not.

The elder took a deep breath as if testing his own resolve before speaking up. "Anko…" he addressed her with a dismal tone. "I am certain you are remember who exactly Naruto's parent were when they were alive."

"Who could forget the Yellow Flash God and the Burning Red Fist of Konoha?" the youngest master grinned at the memory of two of the dojo's most powerful fighters, having seen them as strong role models in her youth. "I remember Minato Namikaze was considered one of the fastest men alive, and was even next in line to undergo the training to become the grandmaster!"

Everyone else seemed to fall silent as they knew what was coming next, this sudden change in atmosphere catching the attention of the youngest master. The elder decided it was best not to keep her in suspense. "No doubt as a child you were told that they were killed in a battle against a powerful enemy, am I correct?"

Anko gave him a slightly distasteful expression. "Everyone knows that, but how does this have anything to do with what we were talking about?

The elder's expression remained impassive. "Almost fifteen years ago when Naruto was an infant, the One Shadow of Yami tested his skills by attacking some of the most powerful masters who preached the beliefs of Katsujinken. Losing a battle with a practitioner of the Killing Fist undoubtedly means death, something that Minato and Kushina learned during their fateful encounter with this man…"

"They were two of the most gifted masters Konoha ever produced, widely known as for their skills and teamwork! There's no way a single man could have possible defeated both of them at the same time!" She screamed with a look of outrage, her eyes taking in the deathly serious expressions of her fellow masters. "How is this possible?"

"Saiga Furiniji is the son of the Invincible Superman, Hayato Furiniji. He possesses power that surpasses that of any other fighter I have ever met. I saw this strength firsthand while witnessing his battle with Naruto's parents over a decade ago." Hiruzen stated with a dismal expression. "I doubt that I could have been his equal, even during my prime."

"I doubt any of us could fight an opponent of that caliber with any hope of winning." Jiraiya added with a grimace. "Someone with power beyond that of an S-Class Master is not the type to be taken lightly, even by those of us who have mastered their branch of the martial arts."

Anko bit her lip for a moment before regaining her composure. "Now it makes sense… I can see why Orochimaru would ally himself with such a man. He was always the kind of person to use other people in order to satisfy his own desires."

Asuma tapped the side of his cigarette before removing it from his mouth. "The point is that our disciples might have gotten themselves involved with something much bigger than a few street fights this time… As masters, it's up to us to decide what precautions to take for the future."

"If it comes to it, we may be forced to put an end to this danger personally." Kurenai stated with a resolute stare.

Kakashi shook his head disapprovingly. "You know as well as I do that masters must not involve themselves in the fights of their disciples. This is simply the way of the martial arts, an ancient law that goes back much further than any of us could possibly remember."

"So you suggest we just sit by and watch while they put themselves in mortal danger?" the red-eyed woman retaliated.

"They aren't kids anymore, and we've done everything we can to pass down our techniques to our students." Tsunade explained stoically.

"She's absolutely right." Hiruzen agreed without hesitation. "From this point onwards, we can do nothing but hope for the safety of our disciples. The only thing we can do to help them is to continue training them to the best of our abilities… As masters it is our duty to ensure that they are prepared for what he future may hold!"

As the meeting of the masters continued inside the elder's office, the students were busy giving their newest classmate a tour of the grounds. So far they had shown her most of the training areas and even Kakashi's meditation hut in the woods. In addition to the obstacle course and the track used by Master Guy, the group had explored some of the sparring rings set up by their masters in some of the smaller buildings. Although the main complex was not available for touring at the moment, the group had decided to take her to the barracks where they hung out while not training or at school.

As they walked towards the building, Naruto found himself pondering the recent meeting. "Is it just me, or did the room get colder when Hinata's dad was around?" he whispered to his left.

Sakura paused looking slightly uncomfortable. "It's not our place to make judgments about the way a master chooses for his disciples, even less so when the person in question is also a parent."

He narrowed his eyes with a sour expression. "That doesn't mean that old cloudy eyes was any less of a jerk. I'm just glad Master Jiraiya was never like that, or I would've quit my training and became an accountant instead."

"After seeing your grades in math, something tells me you would be better off sticking with your first goal." She replied with a roll of her eyes.

At the head of the group, Ino was chatting with their newest companion. "Here we are!" she announced as they reached the front door. "This last stop on out little tour is where the students of Konoha live and sleep, although I'm guessing you already knew that."

"It looks lovely…" Hinata commented with a timid expression.

"We were forced to build it ourselves during one of the elder's intense training sessions!" Lee shouted proudly, causing the girl to flinch. "Yes siree, this is the kind of old-fashioned quality you don't see anymore. Nice sturdy walls and no leaks!"

Choji happily agreed. "We had a lot of help from the masters, but the process of building this thing helped us learn valuable teamwork skills."

The pink-haired girl standing behind him smirked. 'Not to mention Lady Tsunade gambled away most of the budget and the dojo didn't have enough money to hire a professional crew."

"Who needs a bunch of guys in helmets? They don't make 'em like this anymore." Naruto rapped his knuckle against the door, causing it to hall off its hinges. He blushed with a slightly humiliated look. "Of course there was a little incident this morning where Master Guy kicked down the door because he forgot his keys. We still haven't got around to fixing the hinges."

Shikamaru rested a hand on his forehead and sighed wearily. "That happened over a week ago knucklehead, you were just too lazy to fix it right away."

The blonde boy fired up instantly. "You of all people have the nerve to call me lazy!" he blurted out incredulously.

"We drew lots and you lost… Get over it and take your punishment like a man!" Ino responded.

"Master Guy was the one who broke down the door, so why do I have to be the one to fix it? Why should I have to pick up after that goofball?"

"How dare you refer to Master Guy with such disrespect! Take it back!" Lee clenched his hand into a fist.

"Sheesh bushy-brows, no need to get your undies in a bunch." Naruto replied dismissively, only further enraging the green-clad karate fighter.

Sakura heard a tiny to her right, only to find out that the new girl was the source. "I'm sorry, but they're always like this." She apologized with a friendly sense of empathy. "If you spend enough time with them, I'm sure you'll get used to it eventually."

Hinata let out a small giggle, her cheeks covered in a cute blush. "Your friends are quite lively… They seem like a lot of fun to be around."

"Try living with them twenty-four hours a day and then we'll talk." The other girl replied with an odd mixture of humor and frustration.

The cloudy-eyed girl smiled again, her attention shifting to the pink-haired fighter. "At home, I never really had anyone my age to talk to and spent most of my time training with my father and sister. He spent most of his time trying to teach me everything he knew so that I could take over as head of the family one day."

"I've never had to endure something like that before, since I didn't come from a family with a prestigious lineage or anything like that, let alone people who practiced the martial arts. I can imagine it would get boring after a while even if my family was like yours."

"It's a nice change to be around other people and live life the way everyone else does." Hinata added with a bashful nod, causing her new companion to smile back.

"Hey! Are you ladies coming in or what?" Shikamaru gestured to the open door, indicating that the others had already gone inside.

As they entered the common room, the guys were already sitting, so Ino decided to finish up the tour in their stead. "Welcome to your new home." She greeted with a friendly smile. "This is the main living space where we lounge around during free time. The door to the right is the kitchen, the left is the bathroom, and the staircase leads to our rooms." She pointed to each area in turn. "So, any place you wanna see first?"

Hinata eyed a pair of familiar suitcases near the door. "Well, I probably should unpack my bags and get settled in. If you don't mind showing me the way that is?"

Ino retrieved the luggage and headed over to them. "No problem, we're happy to help you out in any way we can."

"No, that's all right… I can carry my own stuff." She answered with a genuine smile.

"I insist… The disciples of Konoha stick together and help each other. Don't be afraid to let friends do you favors, especially since we're all going to be living together for a while." the blonde girl replied cheerfully.

"I'll do ya one better!" Sakura replied with a wink before shouting at the boys. "Yo Naruto, I need a small favor!"

He hurried over and grinned. "Sure, anything you need just ask me. Always happy to help!"

The pink-haired girl decided to demonstrate how to take advantage of her friend's good-natured charms. "Could you carry Hinata's luggage to the newly refurbished room a the end of the hall?"

"Sure thing!" he replied, only to have the wind knocked out of him as Ino thrust the bags into his outstretched arms. "Ugh! What do you keep in these things, are they bricks or dumbbells?" He stumbled around for a moment before righting himself and clamoring up the stairs.

Hinata found herself smiling again, something she rarely remembered doing at home. "Your friend… He seems quite lively." She watched him go with a warm expression.

Sakura shrugged off the comment. "Naruto's always been an overly eager hyperactive nutcase, but we've been friends for a really long time." She smiled at the thought. "Regardless he's the kind of guy you can rely on no matter what happens. He might come off strongly when you first meeting him, but I'm sure you'll eventually get used to him."

The new disciple realized that her statement had been misinterpreted. "That's really not what I was trying to say. I just think that he's…"

Before she could finish, Ino wrapped her arms around the others and grinned. "So what are you girls waiting for? Let's get this show on the road!" she shouted, giving them an impatient push towards the stairs.

The group made their way upstairs and down the hall quickly with Sakura leading the way, since she had personally helped redecorate the room and knew exactly where it was. She and Kurenai had been sure to prepare the room for the new student the previous night, and had even added some furniture and a new closet organizer. Coming to a stop when they reached the end of the hall, she pushed the door opening, allowing them the join Naruto. The orange-clad boy sat on the floor in the center of the room, having decided to rest after putting down the luggage.

It was a relatively small room with a wooden floor and plain white walls, a simple dresser and twin-size bed being the only things present aside from what they had brought. There was a small closet with a sliding door and an exercise mat on the ground for morning stretches. Being martial arts students meant they had to constantly stay in shape and prepare diligently before each training session. Hinata had seen much more lavish accommodations in her own house, but for some reasons she wasn't bothered by the simple comforts they offered here.

"Thank you very much! I really appreciate you helping me out." she bowed her head kindly.

"No prob, I'm always glad to give my friends a hand." Naruto grinned widely before waltzing from the room, calling over his shoulder as he left. "If you girls need anymore help, just yell like you always do and I'll be right there!"

Once he had left, Ino placed her hands on her hips and sighed. "Well now that's he's gone, we can get down to business."

Sakura hoisted one of the bags onto the bed. "It's not right to go through someone else's stuff, but we would be happy to help you unload if it's all right with you.'

"I only brought the essentials so it's fine with me." The new disciple replied brightly.

The blonde girl clicked open one of the cases. "I'll take that as a yes… All right then, let's get you settled into your new home!"

Meanwhile…

Sasuke stared down at the arena from his seat as he and the Demons of Team Hebi watched the battle going on below. Since the punishment rounds were over, the group had gathered to watch the low ranking members of the gang fight for their own amusement. Despite how pedestrian it was for martial artists to watch normal brawls between thugs, it did have a certain appeal for those who reveled in violence like the majority of the gang. Although most of the others were actively involved in watching the fights going on below, their leader seemed to have grown bored with the proceedings.

The Devil Fist crunched his knuckles irritably, quietly wishing he were the one dealing death blows to his enemies right now, but due to his master's orders he had been banned from acting directly unless there was an emergency. Sitting beside him were Jugo and Suigetsu, the latter of which had only recently been released from Orochimaru's care. The insane swordsman seemed particularly bloodthirsty at the moment due to his long absence from the field, and looked as though he was deeply enjoying the battles going on below.

"That's it, go for the eyes! Knock his teeth out! Make him squeal!" he screamed, looking very much like a crazed sports fan.

"Will you give it a rest, you're spoiling my concentration." Kimimaro stated with an eerie calm.

Suigetsu bore his sharpened teeth like an angry shark. "The fight's going on down there, so why are you wasting your time meditating when we've got free entertainment?"

The other man relaxed his shoulders, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Not all of us require the thrill of battle in order to relax. There is a large difference between a fighter and a murderer, and at times you cross this line."

"We were getting along better without you, especially with all of the new recruits." Karin added with a humorous expression, her gaze lingering on some of their members. "I think it's safe to say that you guys have proven yourselves much more competent then this buffoon."

"Don't drag me into this!" Kiba snarled, his eyes moving back towards the matches in the arena.

"Go to Hell, all of ya! If you keep pushing me I'll make your trip there a whole lot faster!" the swordsman screamed, his eyes settling on the others. He grit his teeth, sending a strong negative vibe throughout the room. "I don't care if you idiots recruited more guys while I was gone, five weaklings or a thousand, doesn't make a difference to me!"

"Are you picking a fight asshole?" the dog-like man stood up, the pupils of his eyes becoming feral and slit-like.

Suigetsu reached over his shoulder pulling out a much larger weapon than his previous wooden swords. Made out of a strong heavy wood, his new sword was undoubtedly sturdier and more powerful than the others. "If you wanna bare your fangs at me, I'll make sure you don't live long enough to make a difference."

Neji shook his head and groaned. "How disgraceful, acting like a pair of disobedient children… You're both an insult to the martial arts."

"Who asked for your opinion, pretty boy? Sure in Hell wasn't me!" Kiba let out a throaty growl as he glared through the darkness.

"You wanna challenge me in his place, Neji?" The swordsman glanced over his shoulder maliciously as if he were daring his opponent to say yes.

The Hyuga clansmen turned his head in the opposite direction. "I would not wish to waste my time on someone of your caliber."

"The Great Serpent God performed some interesting experiments on me during my absence. You might be surprised by how much more powerful I've become since the last time we fought!"

"Giving enhancements to someone who was weak from the start makes them mediocre at best. That would still place you firmly below me."

Suigetsu felt his temper slipping as he stood up. "Why you arrogant little piece of shit!"

Jugo stepped between them, his expression blank. "I suggest you sit down before I am forced to reprimand you. You need not act so shamefully in the presence of our leader… It makes you look weak."

The swordsman glared at him for a moment before sheathing his weapon, looking both annoyed and disappointed at the same time. "You guys are all a bunch of party poopers…" he snapped with a note of amusement, a look of interest emerging as he remembering something. "Speaking of which, anyone care to tell me what happened to that bleeding heart, Haku?"

"He spoke out against the ways of our organization and was deemed a traitor. He will remain under house arrest until the time for his execution draws near, and then sent to the arena to endure his final punishment round." The Devil Fist replied without a hint of remorse.

"Damn, it's about time someone got rid of that useless pest. Would've done it myself about a millions times if you guys didn't stop me." The swordsman replied with a sinister smile.

Karin folded her arms, sat back, and kicked up her heels. "If the rest of you are finished talking like bunch of cold-blooded murderers, what's the new plan for eliminating our targets?" she eyed their leader with a sense of hunger before addressing him directly. "You said yesterday that I was to be in charge of this operation, and yet we have yet to discuss the specific terms and conditions involved."

He let out a dry laugh. "Just let me handle them, this time I'll be ready for that bastard, Hermit and his fancy techniques!"

"Just like you were the last time? Forgive me for doubting you, but you barely survived that last battle with your life, and now we have the Konoha disciples to worry about as well." The redhead retaliated with an enticing smirk.

"Sounds like things panned out just the way we were expecting, although I don't get why you're putting that shameless bitch in charge of something so important." Suigetsu commented.

Sasuke nodded stiffly before lowering his shroud, revealing his pitch-black gaze. "The last few attempts we made to exterminate our enemies ended in failure. It is clear to me now the direct approach may not be best for dealing with two opposing groups at the same time."

Karin listened with a mischievous expression, her gaze moving to the shrouded figure sitting beside. "I'm certain the bandage company's new spokes model would be more than happy to testify on behalf of your claim."

"Shut up!" Guren removed her hood, revealing a neck brace and a series of bandages wrapped around her head with one running across the center of his nose and cheeks. "I came very close to killing my target, but was interrupted by a whacked out opera singer and two Konoha Disciples. Against such odds, you would have faired no better!"

"I wouldn't have engaged the enemy without doing the proper research first to take all factors into account. In the middle of a war, having power will only get you so far… You need what's in here too." The redhead replied, gently tapping her forehead with her index finger.

Sasuke inclined his head in approval. "That is precisely why I chose you as field commander for this operation. We need someone with a more tactical mind to handle such a delicate battlefield. I believe you may succeed where the other Demons have failed."

Karin blushed slightly, a lustful glint in her eye. "I'm flattered, Great Devil Fist… It is a great honor to be allowed this opportunity to show off my skills as a tactician."

"Since Kiba volunteered during our last meeting, he will be placed under your supervision during this mission. You may choose anyone else to go with you from among the senior ranks of Team Hebi or below, and I will allow you to take your pick of any one of your fellow Demons aside from those who serve directly beneath me. Can you work properly with these conditions?"

"Of course." She straightened her glasses with a cynical expression. "You've given me enough resources to turn this operation into a very interesting game, although I do question the wisdom of burdening me with that flea-bitten mongrel."

"You're no prize yourself, ugly!" The Dog Kung-Fu user spit at her, causing her to throw a knife in retaliation.

Suigetsu laughed wildly. "Looks like you pissed her off… Not something I'd recommend."

He caught the weapon between his fingers and flicked it aside with a bitter expression, but instead chose not to attack either of them. "I honestly don't care who's in charge so long as I get some action soon. Sitting in the dark with you guys all day gives me a headache."

"I trust you'll be satisfied engaging the enemy directly since they've already proven themselves more than a match for several of the others." Kimimaro added.

Karin's anger evaporated to reveal signs of amusement. "I don't see why we can't just engage them as a group and wipe out our enemies in one fell swoop. Something tells me they wouldn't stand much of a chance if we attacked with full force."

Neji shook his head disapprovingly. "We're martial artists, not common street trash. It would make us look weak if I allowed you to resort to such barbaric tactics. Those without strength are known to believe that strength in numbers is the best approach, but such methods are better left for the weak."

"I agree completely." Suigetsu added without hesitation. "Where's the fun if we end things too quickly. I'm willing to get that Jugo could take out half of them by himself, and don't even get me started about what would happen if the boss decided to step in."

"Well at least you people have some shred of dignity…" Kiba remarked loudly, earning an angry glare from several of his teammates. He ignored them and instead shifted his attention onto their leader. "So Devil eyes, you said there was a big announcement you had to make… Don't tell me shark boy's return was the only reason you dragged me to this dump."

"I should thank you for the reminder." Sasuke replied in a light, emotionless tone. He stood before his fellow gang members and faced the group once more. "While conducting my search last night, I found someone from among the senior members who might be worthy to take Haku's empty seat as a temporary replacement."

The Devil Fist gestured towards the arena as a cloaked figure stepped through the open gates. He was a reasonably tall man with a well-muscled physique and broad shoulders, his features concealed by the hood. The other recognized the shroud he was wearing as sign that he had been given the rank of Demon, as only the most powerful members of Team Hebi were permitted to wear those kinds of cloaks. Another thing that caught their attention were the oddly patterned gauntlets covering his fists, something that was not typically part of the gang's uniform.

"Who's this joker supposed to be?" Suigetsu questioned with a sneer. "He doesn't look all that tough, if you ask me."

"If you need a demonstration, I'm certain that our guest would be willing to oblige." Their leader replied with an evil smile.

Sasuke stepped forward into the dim light of the room and snapped his fingers, causing the gate on the other side of the stage to slide open. Ten large men entered the arena, some completely unarmed while others wore brass knuckles or carried knives. They were large brutish types who served as the enforcers for Team Hebi, quite a few levels down from the top brass but quite a bit stronger than the common grunts that comprised most of their forces. While many of the lower ranking subordinates were simply thugs, these men were all personally trained by Kimimaro to act as the group's personal Gestapo.

"Kill!" Sasuke ordered prompting the referee strike the large gong standing beside the ring.

The shrouded man shot his fist out, knocking out one of his attackers without so much as a moment's struggle. Another man came at him from behind, but he struck back with a barehanded strike, his finger pushing the button on the stun gun he had hidden up his sleeve. After paralyzing two more of his opponents with a quick jolt, the mystery man followed it up with a series of low kicks. The remaining thugs charged as a group, but he countered by thrusting his hands out and into his opponents' midsections. He struck the last man in the stomach with his fist, causing him to double over just in time to receive a second punch to the center of his face.

"He's a little sloppy, but the punk's not too bad compared to what we expected." Suigetsu replied with a note of amusement.

Neji crossed his arms, his face displaying signs of disgust. "He fights dirty… I don't like it."

"Yeah, and those cheap shots with the taser weren't so impressive either." Kiba agreed with an uneasy expression.

"He's obviously a karate user, although I recognized some pure brawling methods were mixed in with his martial arts style. Some dirty tricks as well." Karin deduced with an analytical expression, the light shining off of her glasses menacingly. "Interesting how he aims to win no matter what methods must be utilized."

"Thank you, I appreciate the compliments." The cloaked man replied with a dubious smile.

"Never mind that static… Show us your real face." Guren demanded impatiently.

Their visitor exchanged glances with Sasuke, who nodded to signify that it was all right. Without another moment's hesitation, the man removed his cloak, revealing his true appearance beneath. He wore a form-fitting dark blue bodysuit with a belt and darker pants, the majority of his outfit partially covered by a light brown, long-sleeved trench coat. He had light bluish gray hair and wore a yellow headband to keep his bangs away from his eyes, both of which were covered by the paukbrille goggles typically used in academic fencing.

"What a crazy look… Who are you supposed to be?" Kiba asked with an obnoxious laugh.

"You got a lot of nerve talking to me that way, kid. Since you've got such a big mouth, it's pretty clear you have no idea who I am." The man replied with a sinister grin.

Sasuke stepped in before he could continue. "Allow me to introduce you to Loki, the former Fourth Fist of Ragnarok and former divisional member of Team Hebi."

Their newest comrade held up his right fist, showing a gold symbol emblazoned on the back of his glove. His crest consisted of an ouroboros depicting one snake devouring the other, and the Roman numeral for the number four in the center of the serpentine circle. "I'm glad my reputation precedes me!" He declared with a chuckle.

Suigetsu seemed to find the situation humorous. "That idiot was the Fourth Fist? Odin must've been pretty desperate if he let this guy hold one of the top spots in his gang."

"If you were such a big shot in Ragnarok, how did you end up in the lower ranks of Team Hebi?" Karin interrupted with a curious look.

"After our boss was defeated by Kenichi Shirahama, the remnants of the gang spilt apart. Quite a few of the grunts joined the ranks of Team Hebi, and I figured it would be a good place to lay low for a while until I was able to get back a shred of my former glory." Loki stroked his chin with a sneaky look. "You might say I was more than a little happy when a position finally opened up at the top."

"To be more precise, we were simply in need of a replacement field commander. At such short notice, you were the only candidate among the lower ranks with the skills to receive a promotion even on a temporary basis." Kimimaro corrected him.

"Be that as it may, it's truly an honor to be allowed to serve beneath the invincible Devil Fist." The trickster replied, his eyes settling on his new leader. "Word on the streets is that your fighting abilities surpass even those of the First Fist Odin, and that guy was one of the scariest people in the business."

Sasuke remained indifferent to his attempts at flattery. "Don't compare me to that weak-hearted fool… I don't consider it a compliment."

"You misunderstand, I believe you to be a much more powerful and efficient leader than that idiot. He didn't have the guts to do whatever it took to get the job done, but it would seem that you don't have the same reservations as those fools in Ragnarok."

Kimimaro exhaled deeply, his expression betraying signs of disapproval. "Speaking of which, there are some things we wish to discuss with you before finalizing this appointment."

The Devil Fist stepped forward, bearing down upon their newest recruit. "Word on the streets is that you betrayed your former superiors within Ragnarok in an attempt to seize power to satisfy your own ambitions."

Karin leaned forward anxiously. "He's absolutely right to be concerned…. Such actions cannot be ignored, especially since the possibility exists that you may try the same thing again."

"Would you care to rationalize your actions to us?" The Uchiha added.

"The only reason I attempted to remove Odin is because the gang had become only a shadow of its former self while under his poor leadership. That idiot blatantly led his own subordinates into certain defeat and I couldn't bear to watch any more." The trickster explained in a matter-of-fact tone. "Truth is, I wouldn't dare do the same to a leader like the Devil Fist who has proven himself infinitely more powerful and competent."

"You'll pardon me if I choose not to believe you as face value." Kimimaro replied icily.

Loki bowed as he turned to face them once more. "I have no intention of betraying Team Hebi for several reasons, mostly because I know what the repercussions would be if I was foolish enough to try." He smirked with sadistic amusement. "Those punishment games of yours are quite entertaining to watch, but I wouldn't want to participate in them myself."

"You needn't worry about that, because if you show any signs of betraying Team Hebi, I will personally end your life." Sasuke looked down upon their newest member, his eyes blazing with a fire that could have frightened a lion into submission.

The trickster found himself unable to move as he made eye contact with his superior, his blood running cold as beads of sweat began forming on his brow. The powerful killing intent radiating from the Uchiha had affectively paralyzed him on the spot, and a sense of rampant fear filled his entire body. Despite his dirty tactics, Loki was hardly the type to scare easily, and this was one of the few times he felt completely overwhelmed by the emotion. The only other person to have ever invoked this feeling in him was Odin, but even the First Fist's killing intent wasn't so dark and intense.

Sasuke relaxed again, a small look of satisfaction gracing his pale features. "Do you accept my terms, or will you refuse my generous offer. As long as you remain loyal to me, there is no reason to be concerned. Whether you say yes or no, at least I will know your true intentions."

Loki swallowed the lump that had begun to form in his throat and shifted uneasily in the face of his new superior. "Yes, you have my word…"

"Welcome to the inner circle." The Devil Fist replied nonchalantly earning a few murmurs from his underlings.

Note to Readers: Next chapter Naruto gets a piece of the action… With so many characters in this story it took a while for him to get involved, and he's supposed to be the main character! Hinata's here, but she's in for a shock next time when she finds out her friends are in the middle of something that she wasn't expecting to be involved in. Big clash next chapter… Any particular fights/match-ups you wanna see now or in the future, feel free to drop me a line.

Major developments include the introduction of Orochimaru's true allegiance, although what he's planning is still a mystery. Not to mention that we now know why Naruto's in orphan in this story. Loki makes his grand entrance as the member of Ragnarok who hasn't reformed. (He became a spy for Nijima later in the manga, but that hasn't happened in this story yet) Can he be trusted? Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Sorry if there's typos, or errors in spelling and grammar, but write chapters for my stories late at night most of the time.

I would really love to hear some suggestions so keep them coming if you have some. Please feel free to comment if you liked something, want to see something happen, or have any guesses or predications as to what will happen next! Don't forget to **REVIEW**! It really motivates me to keep working on this story!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Into the Fray**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

During the last five days the others had actually told Hinata about their struggle against Team Hebi, although they had approached the subject in a way that made it seem more like a minor annoyance than a real threat. Sakura could tell their newest member was timid and somewhat withdrawn, and it didn't seem wise to say too much for fear that she would panic. As such they had taken her safety into account while planning the traveling arrangements between school and Konoha so that she wouldn't run into any trouble.

Right now, things were going pretty well and the danger was the last thing on their minds. She had gotten to know her new classmates reasonably well during the last few days, and everything was beginning to look up for her. So far the school seemed like a pretty peaceful place. Her fellow disciples were quietly keeping an eye on her in case the enemy tried to target her next, although it seemed unnecessary since even the minor attacks by the common grunts had ceased since their meeting with the Shinpaku Alliance.

"So, what do you think of Kouryou High so far?" Sakura questioned the timid girl.

"It's a lot different than what I'm used to." She replied quietly, causing the others to stop.

Ino put her hands on her hips and leaned in. "That's surprising to hear… People might start thinking that you've never been to school before."

"No, of course not!" Hinata raised her hands and shook her head embarrassedly, her gaze moving towards the floor. "The truth of it is that my family always sent me to elite educational institutions when I was growing up. Before this week, I've never actually been to a public school, let alone attended one."

"Wow, you must've lived a really sheltered life." Sakura began, her eyes wandering towards the ceiling for a moment. "Not that there's anything wrong with that!" She added hastily upon seeing her companion's look.

"Everything you said is true, but admittedly I've been blessed with the good fortune of being born to the Hyuga Clan. Even though I was considered a disgrace to our family, my father never stopped providing the best for me. I am grateful that he was still willing to consider me his daughter even after I failed to meet his expectations."

The pink-haired girl leaned in anxiously. "Your father seemed a little strict, but why would he consider someone like you a disgrace? I've seen you training with Master Kurenai, and you've definitely got some pretty good moves for a new disciple."

Ino glanced over her shoulder. "Yeah, you really oughta have some more confidence in your own abilities! You're at least as good as me, and I've got the toughest master at the dojo by a long shot. Looking down on yourself is like calling me a weakling!"

"You don't understand…" Hinata replied with a sad frown, her cloudy eyes sliding towards the sidewalk. "The Hyuga Clan has produced some of the greatest martial artists in history over the years. While I was growing up, my father trained me to carry on the legacy of our family. My progression was much slower than expected, and such a thing was considered unacceptable."

Sakura shrugged with a look of confusion. "I don't see what the big fuss is about. Even if you're not some kind of super prodigy, that doesn't mean you can't learn if given the time."

The timid girl exhaled deeply as a stream of unpleasant memories flooded back to her. "Five years ago I struggled to learn some of the basic techniques of my family's preferred fighting style. My father found it an insult to his teachings and intensified my training, but when he saw no immediate improvement in my skills, he proclaimed that I was unworthy to inherit the clan's secret techniques."

Ino stroked her chin with a puzzled expression. "I remember you saying that only the eldest child of the Family Head was allowed to learn those moves… Since they were too impatient to teach you, does that mean that the entire family will simply forfeit their traditions?"

This only seemed to hurt her more. "My younger sister was chosen a year ago as the new heiress of the Hyuga Clan due to her superior abilities. When her training first began, the others noticed how quickly she grasped things that took me years to understand. Everyone back home believes that she has far more potential than I ever did."

"So what…" Sakura added with a casual shrug. "As far as I'm concerned, talent only takes you so far in life. What really matters is how much you're willing to work in order to better yourself in a fighting discipline and in life."

"Even the most intelligent person on Earth reaches a point where it's not that much of a defining trait." The blonde-haired girl replied confidently. "For example, a child genius is considered amazing by everyday standards, but when they become an adult, their intelligence becomes less noticeable."

Hinata glanced at her with a curious expression. "Perhaps, but people in my family are judged by their aptitude in the martial arts. We consider strength of body and mind as a representation of a person's inner strength as well. It's been like that for several generations of the Hyuga Clan."

"You're here with us now, so try letting go of what people thought of you in the past and start looking towards the future." Ino smirked at this thought as she remembered a certain friend of hers. "Our buddy Shikamaru is a genius, but he doesn't have a single ounce of motivation most of the time. It's not having the talent that matters, it's how hard you train."

"I guess you have a point…" The cloudy-eyed disciple turned her gaze towards the ground again.

"We just hope you really believe it for yourself!" Sakura replied with a friendly smile. "Take me for example… I had no major talent for the martial arts, but I'm always practicing. I joined the swim club here as a way of getting some good exercise even outside of the dojo! There's actually a lot of ways you can better yourself!"

Ino poked her face in between them with a cheerful look. "Speaking of which, there's actually another reason why we decided to give you a tour of the school after hours."

"What exactly do you guys have planned?" Hinata questioned with a curious expression.

"The two of us figured it would be a good idea if you joined an after school club." The blonde girl explained brightly, earning a blank expression from her newest friend. She wrapped her arm around the Hyuga heiress, eagerly pulling her closer. "Look, we noticed you seemed like the shy type, so what better way to step out of your shell than meeting new people!"

Sakura thrust her fist out with an air of confidence. "There's a load of clubs to choose from for the students body… Kouryou High offers sports, recreational activities, home economics, martial arts groups, and everything in between. With so many awesome options available, there's gotta be something you'll like!"

The darker-haired girl tapped her fingers together nervously. "It seems like a lot to process at once. Maybe if we go home I can think about the choices a little, and decide when I'm ready!"

"No way… Consider this a big part of your training!" Ino spoke kindly, but a note of aggression could be heard hiding underneath. When their new companion didn't answer right away, she decided to elaborate. "A martial artist has to be the decisive type. One moment's hesitation in the middle of battle and you'll be dead in three seconds flat!"

"Even if you're hesitant, there comes a time when you just gotta dive in headfirst! When I first started training under Lady Tsunade, she noticed I had a similar problem." Sakura added with a sense of nostalgia. "As it turns out, she hammered all the basics into me until she was sure I had gotten over my lack of confidence!"

Hinata nodded slowly, having come to terms with what they were trying to say. "Okay!" she replied with a reserved but gentle smile. "Why don't you start by telling me what kind of clubs you guys like to attend? It might be a good place to start."

"I already mentioned being a member of the swimming club. It's a good place to go if you like the workout, but there's been some problems recently with a group of boys sneaking into the girl's locker room after practice to take peaks."

"I think I'll pass… Honestly I was never all that fond of swimming anyway." the timid girl shuddered slightly at the thought of wearing a swimsuit in public.

Sakura seemed to read her mind and smiled. "I for one have nothing to worry about! If anyone tries peeking on me, the only think they'll get is a sound beating from my fists!" She nudged the darker-haired girl and smirked. "And besides, have you seen the way guys look at you in class? As far as we're concerned, you've got noting to be ashamed of!"

Hinata's face turned the color of a tomato at the thought, having remained blissfully unaware of anyone staring at her until this moment. "You mean boys have actually been…"

"There's nothing to be ashamed of. You've got a great figure, and some nice assets that most girls would kill to have!" Ino glanced over at her pink-haired friend and snickered. "Unlike some people I would care to mention. That's one way she'll never be able to live up to her master."

It took a second for the notion to process. "Will you stop that? Not everyone can have a giant pair like Master Tsunade!"

The blonde girl shrugged with amusement. "I imagine it took some adjusting for her to learn how to fight with so much extra baggage. No wonder the old lady started using those longevity techniques around age thirty, or else she would probably be sagging by now."

Sakura snickered at the thought. "Tell me about it… I guess in her case, growing old gracefully really wasn't much of an option at all."

"Don't say that in front of her unless you want an early trip to the morgue!" Ino replied with a playful punch to the shoulder. She wrapped her other hand around her neck in a mock choking position and made a playful gagging noise. "Master Tsunade would throttle someone if she ever heard us talking about her like this."

"That's an understatement." Sakura let out an uneasy laugh and sweat-dropped at the thought.

Hinata cringed slightly at the thought, having seen quite a few crazy things in her first days as one of Konoha's students. She noticed that each of them had their own little quirks, including several of the masters. Scariest of them was probably Anko Mitarashi, who had a certain sense of bloodlust and a sadistic love for terrifying the students on a regular basis. Because of that she had become a regular victim, but even more disturbing was the strange feeling she received while using he hot springs the previous night, almost like there were eyes boring into her back.

Rather than address the current subject further, she decided toe change the subject. "So Ino, what kind of club do you usually attend?"

"Remember how I said my family owns a flower shop?" the blonde waited for her new friend to nod before continuing. "Because of that I always had a major love of making things grow, so I joined the school gardening club. Lately we've been experimenting with different types of fertilizer and conditions to see what works best on certain types of plants."

"Did you make any friends there?" the darker haired girl questioned.

Ino stared off absent-mindedly before smiling. "There's only three members including me, but it's a great place to relax and relive some tension."

"What are they like?" she placed a finger to her chin with a minor note of interest.

The blonde girl thought about it for a moment, trying to condense her personal thoughts into a few brief sentences. "It's pretty valid to say you won't meet nicer people." She snapped her fingers with a cheerful wink. "The club president's a bit shy, but she's pleasant to a fault. The same can be said for the guy, except he's a much better conversationalist. If you ever need a friendly face to talk to about something, he's definitely the right man for the job!"

"She's not kidding, I've met them myself." Sakura kindly patted here new friend's elbow.

Hinata paused again and considered it before giving them an uneasy smile. "All right, I think I'll try the gardening club first."

"Excellent choice!" Ino replied with an enthusiastic smile. She reached out and wrapped an arm around Hinata before marching her towards the greenhouse on the edge of the grounds.

"We'll meet up here after our activities are over, all right?" Sakura called out, looking rather amused at how easily the personalities of her two friends clashed.

One was so outgoing, while the other had a much more reserved approach to life. Needless to say it was interesting to watch them interact like this. Looking at them trek across campus, Ino was practically dragging the darker-haired girl along like a rag doll while she clumsily attempted to keep up. From her vacant expression it looked as though Hinata was experiencing some second thoughts about going with her, although the blonde girl took no notice and continued along with her willing captive in tow. A bead of sweat ran down Sakura's face as she watched them leave, before quietly walking off to her own club.

As the others neared the greenhouse, Ino thrust the door open with both hands, allowing them to step inside. After rounding a row of freshly potted plants, she caught sight of her two fellow club members working on their own projects. Kenichi stood off to the side with a watering can, gently tending his flowerbed as usual, while the leader of their group was examining several boxes of seeds and searching for something new to plant. She was calmly humming to herself in a pleasant manner, a smile lighting her face as she found the right package.

"Hey guys, the queen of the club has arrived!" Ino shouted, causing the others to jump slightly.

Ryozanpaku's disciple rubbed the back of his head with a groan. "Gee, do you have to pop in like that every day? Keep it up and eventually you're gonna give me a heart attack."

Izumi straightened her glasses as she caught sight of the new girl. "Hey Ino, who's your friend?"

"Meet Hinata Hyuga! She's a new disciple at the dojo, and just transferred to Kouryou High from some fancy private school."

The timid girl pressed her hands together and bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you all. It would be an honor if you would allow me a chance to join the gardening club."

"Sure thing, we're always in the need of more people. As you can probably see, there's only three members right now." The club president replied with a small blush.

"I don't have a problem with it, especially since you're one of Ino's friends!" Kenichi stood up and walked over to greet them.

Hinata nodded towards him with a reserved smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

He gave the newcomer a quick glance over, quickly noticing that she was quite pretty, although her light-colored eyes reminded him briefly of Akisame. "Anyway, my name's Kenichi Shirahama. If you're a student from Konoha, you must be a fighter like the others. I'm actually a practicing martial artist myself."

The timid girl blinked with a puzzled look. "Forgive me, but you don't seem like the type."

"As if! Believe it or not, this guy's actually the number one disciple of Ryozanpaku… He's got a killer fighting technique based on the styles used by of some of the world's greatest masters! You'll never see anything else like it, I guarantee!" Ino explained boastfully.

Hinata turned her attention to the boy, her eyes widening slightly. "You must be very talented to have been granted such a prestigious honor."

"Trust me, that's not the case at all…" Kenichi answered with an embarrassed frown, his thoughts returning to his painful training sessions. Shuddering at the prospect of what awaited him back at the dojo today, he decided to change the subject. "So, uh… Hinata was it? Is there any particular reason why you wanted to join the gardening club?"

"Ino sort of recommended it, so I decided to give it a try." She replied quietly, her head turning in the opposite direction.

The blonde slapped her on the back with a gutsy look. "Actually, Hinata was looking for a place where she could relax and take a breather, and I figured this was the best fit compared to all the other crazy clubs in this school!" she considered the truth of her own statement before sticking out her tongue. "I mean the sports teams are a bit rowdy, and Lee was attacked by those moronic Neanderthals in the karate club when we first enrolled here."

"It was Daimonji, right?" Ryozanapku's disciple groaned at the thought, prompting a small nod from his friend.

"I think that's the name Lee mentioned. Apparently that stupid oaf was the ring leader of those karate disciple wannabes." She mused out loud.

The conversation was a bit lost on Izumi, who preferred not to get involved in the business of her friends for obvious reasons. "All of that aside, perhaps we should start by formally welcoming our new member in the club?" she bowed her head to the blue-haired girl. "I don't believe we've been introduced yet… My name is Yuka Izumi, president and founder of the gardening club."

"It's a pleasure, Ms. President" Hinata returned the gesture with an uneasy but sincere smile.

"Th-Thanks…" the other girl stammered, looking slightly taken aback by the reference. "I can honestly say that no one's ever referred to me like that before. I guess that's what happens when your club has less than five members."

Kenichi shrugged off the situation before facing the others. "So, why don't we start by getting Hinata settled in? There's still a small patch of dirt in the corner where she can start, and a series of tools in the gardening shed out back. That's everything she'll need to get started, right?"

"I think so." Ino replied with an upbeat expression before gesturing forward with her arm. "All right newbie, let's get this party started!"

The gardening trio quickly set to work, helping their newest recruit get adjusted. The club's leader started by rummaging through the cabinet in search of something simple to start with, while retrieving a few books in case Hinata needed some basic tips. Meanwhile, Kenichi started preparing the soil and adding the fertilizer with an old rake. As they pulled weeds and took care of the basic preparations for gardening, Ino went outside to the shed and retrieved a series of tools to get them started. Plant food was a good way to start, especially since they were using a patch of soil that had been vacant for some time.

At this time, the Hyuga heiress watched from the sidelines in fascination as her fellow students worked, surprised at how smoothly everything went. They worked like a well-oiled machine. Once everything was set up, they helped her begin her first project. She had chosen a random of assortment to flowers based entirely on their aesthetic appeal, although the others seemed more than happy to help her out. Hinata carefully placed her seeds out and began placing them in small holes she dug, but was stopped by one of her fellow members.

"It looks like you could use a little bit of help down there." Kenichi bent over her shoulder with a friendly smile.

"No, it's just fine… Thank you for being so considerate." Hinata replied courteously.

He inspected the project more closely and shook his head. "I don't mean to pry, but it looks like you're planting the seeds a little too close together."

The timid girl looked slightly ashamed of herself. "Is that necessary a bad thing? Wouldn't there be more flowers if I place the seeds closer together so that there's more room to plant the seeds?"

Kenichi squatted down beside her and pointed to the patch of dirt. "Actually you don't seem to be taking into account the growth of the roots." He reached down and retrieved the package she had used earlier. "Besides, when these types of flowers produce very large blossoms, so they will naturally occupy more space when in bloom. Do you understand?"

"I guess so, sorry for causing you the trouble." Hinata used her gardening trowel to remedy the previous mistake, earning a nod of approval from him.

"There's no need to look so nervous around here… We're all in the same club." Kenichi smiled in an attempt to put her mind at ease. "It's good to trust your teammates and help them out in any way possible. That's just what it means to be friends."

"Do you really consider me a friend already?" she asked with a surprised expression.

Kenichi looked away with a pensive expression as if he were mulling over the situation in hid head before answering. "You seem like a nice person, especially since Ino seems to like you well enough." He refocused his gaze back onto her. "I'll admit we just met, but every friendship has to start somewhere."

The timid girl looked away with a frown. "I can't say I ever had many friends growing up. My father was strict and I was too focused on my studies and martial arts training to worry about these kinds of things. He considered such matters to be trivialities in the face of responsibility."

"Can't say I can put myself in your shoes, but I'm here if you ever want to talk." The boy stood back up and turned his back to her. "Even if we're not friends yet, I'm still more than willing to help out my fellow club members."

She glanced up at him with an innocently puzzled look, silently wondering what kind of person he was. Truthfully she had never met a fighter with such a gentle exterior and soft personality, and would never have guessed he was one had she not been told. Her fellow disciples back at the dojo were all very nice people, but they seemed very brash and quirky in their own ways while this boy seemed just like any ordinary person she could pull out of a crowd on the street. As she watched him walk in the opposite direction, she remembered something he had said only minutes ago and it only incensed her own curiosity.

"If it isn't too much trouble, could you answer one more question for me?" she added shakily.

Kenichi turned around mid-step with a neutral expression. "Um, I guess that's fine with me."

Hinata swallowed the lump that had begun to form in her throat. "Well, I remember when Ino mentioned you were Ryozanpaku's disciple, you said that it had nothing to do with talent. Yet my father once said to me that the masters of that dojo were some of the greatest in the world." When his expression didn't change, she hesitated as if afraid to insult him. "What I mean to ask is, why did they choose you as a disciple if talent wasn't the reason."

To her surprise, the boy gave her an embarrassed crooked smile. "Well, I honestly think they felt kinda bad for how much of a weakling I was. My jujitsu teacher Master Koetsuji said that he was also bullied as a kid, so I suppose he understood what I was going through when we first met."

"Well you must've had some kind of natural aptitude for the martial arts to train under such powerful masters?"

Ryozanpaku's disciple shook his head with a grimace. "Nope, they remind me everyday that I don't have a single ounce of talent.

"Then how do you possibly keep up with learning their disciplines? Ino did say that you were a skilled fighter." She pondered out loud.

"I managed to become stronger because it was what I wanted." He stated as if it were that easy to understand. "Because I don't have the talent that a lot of people possess, so to compensate, they put me through horrific, life-threatening training that most people could scarcely imagine. I struggled through Hell to get where I am now!"

She saw a strange fire in his eyes for a second and found herself smiling. "Do you mean that?"

Kenichi frowned and cringed violently as if he was experiencing a particularly painful memory, but did his best to suppress it. "Can't say I haven't wanted to at times, but no matter how hard it's been, I've never given up! I won't stop training until I'm strong enough to protect everyone that I care about! That is my dream!" When she simply stared at him wide-eyed, the boy felt slightly embarrassed by his own bravado and turned away.

"It's not a problem." Hinata blushed slightly in admiration, looking slightly uncomfortable at the same time. "You have a wonderful dream and I hope you achieve it one day. I hope one day I can find that same inner strength."

"Just remember what I said before: Hard work can beat talent any day if you're willing to endure the trials head-on!" The boy replied as he walked away, leaving the girl alone with her thoughts.

The Hyuga heiress absent-minded continued her work in the greenhouse, her thoughts revolving more around the previous conversation than the physical activity she was doing. Thinking back she had heard the same notion from her friends at the dojo earlier, but hearing it from someone like Kenichi made her truly wonder if there was any validity. Hinata had been born with a certain level of talent for the martial arts, although compared to the majority of her fellow clansman she had very limited abilities. What her father had always expected of her was so different from what her fellow disciples had been telling her, but today's meeting was a strange one for her.

Having grown up in a family with a strong lineage of fighters, she had never once imagined that someone with no aptitude for the martial arts could ever be fit to be a disciple, and yet here this boy was learning from people acknowledged by her own father. Although they were generally a kind and respected family, the Hyuga believed that certain people were born with the ability to achieve greatness while others were not. What she had learned today was such a contradiction to everything she had always been taught, that it felt strange, yet oddly comforting.

"Maybe I can walk that path one day too." Hinata muttered to herself quietly, an unusually peaceful expression adorning her delicate features.

Meanwhile…

Mangetsu Hozuki sat back with a bored expression as he polished his sword, looking completely bored by the daily proceedings. It was true that the higher ups had tasked him with keeping an eye on Orochimaru's division, but being around the Serpent God sickened him, and the swordsman was doing his best to take advantage of this brief reprieve from being forced into his company. Truthfully, he had been suspicious of the experiments that had been done on his brother, and was looking for any excuse to cut down the snake responsible for it.

He had spent the entire day hanging around without anything to do, having been told to stand by until further orders were given to him. The elder Hozuki brother had spent the day lounging in his personal quarters, doing his best to enjoy himself in the meantime. Yami's Weapon Division was known for possessing a large variety of quality blades, and as the strongest swordsman of the group, he had been personally tasked with protecting and wielding the organization's most powerful weapons.

As a wealthy worldwide syndicate, the masters had amassed quite a collection over the years.

Only a select group of fighters were allowed access to these swords, and he was in charge of keeping them safe. Among these were seven powerful blades of varying design and usage, each of which had been forged during the Sengoku period in Japan and had survived the test of time. Forged by some of the most legendary smiths of the day, these swords never seemed to dull and remained just as powerful as the day they were forged.

A knock on the door pulled him from these thoughts as a ninja-like guard wearing a mask stepped into the room. "Master Mangetsu, sir! You have visitor that demands your attention."

"What the Hell are you going on about? This is my day off! Tell whoever it is to come back tomorrow." the sharp-toothed swordsman barked irritably.

The guard cleared his throat nervously and bowed his head low. "I apologize, but it is beyond my authority to make such a command."

Mangetsu did a double take, since most of his subordinates were usually too afraid to deny his orders. "You really must be curious to know how it feels to lose your head!" his eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don't have the patience to deal with guests today, especially after spending the last week with that bastard, Orochimaru!"

"I'm certain you'll have time for me…" a feminine voice answered from behind the door.

The elder Hozuki felt a powerful sense of dread fill the air as his subordinate was stuck down from behind, leaving a blank-eyed corpse lying on the floor of his room. The woman who entered stepped into the dim glow, her well-endowed figure and large bust easily visible even in the poor lighting. She was a tall woman wearing a Japanese-style hakama and bead necklace, giving her the appearance of a priestess. She had pretty dark features and long hair reaching to her waist, her eyes strangely warm and a mysterious smile on her face.

"Are you surprised to see me again so soon, little boy?" She addressed him like a child.

"It's not often a get a visit from one of the brass, much less Yami's Bewitching Fist: Mikumo Kushinada." He looked slightly apprehensive as she sat down on the couch across from his chair.

She took a moment while to make herself at home before speaking again. "So, I trust you've been handling your job well."

"Just as you asked, I've been babysitting that snake. Personally, I don't understand why you seem so interested in learning more about his experiments. Some of things he does are a mockery to the martial arts!"

"And therein lies the problem." She answered calmly, her tranquil expression remaining firmly in place. "I am not allowed to reveal the specifics, but there is reason to believe that Orochimaru may be a liability to Yami in the future due to his unscrupulous tactics."

Mangetsu rested his blade against the nearby wall and released a low groan. "Can't say I ever trusted the freak personally." He leaned forward slightly. "Give me the details…"

"Right now the One Shadow Nine Fists are debating whether or not to allow his experiments to continue. Unfortunately, our leader has remained neutral thus far, and the majority of the others have been keen to avoid the subject for their own reasons."

"Among the members of the top brass, the Great Sage Fist seems to be actively supporting that snake's endeavors for his own reasons."

She dismissed the thought, looking slightly amused nonetheless. "Ogata was always a naughty child. I've suspected his involvement for quite some time."

The swordsman did his best to relax, despite the woman's intimidating presence. "Care to explain the rest, or is this also classified information?"

Mikumo nodded in agreement. "We are not allowed to speak of it to anyone outside of the Nine, although there is reason for us to be concerned about Orochimaru's continued affiliation with the syndicate." She paused maddeningly before giving him a hollow smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Bearing this in mind, I need a favor of you."

Mangetsu complied with a small nod, quietly fingering the handle of his sword. "Assuming this is about getting rid of that pest, I'd be more than happy to handle it discreetly."

"If it comes to that, than yes." The Bewitched Fist replied rationally. "For now I would prefer that we handle things without garnering too much attention. If you find a way to discredit his work in the eyes of the One Shadow, we may yet be able to remove him before he becomes a major liability to Yami."

"How do you propose I do that?" the swordsman enquired with a grumpy expression. "This kinda sneaky stuff just isn't my forte."

"Keep an eye on his subjects and report back anything that may benefit our agenda. Since the others are unaware of these plans, I must not give them a reason to suspect my involvement." she stood up and swept towards the door, her robes swaying gracefully as she stood on the threshold.

He lowered his head and fell on one knee, his hands still grasping the hilt of his weapon. "Since this is an order from my humble elder, I will do as you wish…"

"Do not disappoint me, Mangetsu…" she replied coolly before closing the door behind her, leaving him alone in the darkness once again.

Meanwhile…

For several days now, Kiba Inuzuka had been forced to tag along with Karin while doing their scouting, and then report any movements made by their targets to her. He disliked the perverted woman immensely, but running around town was also an excuse for him not to spend time with her. In a way it was much better than being cooped up in their hideout tolerating the members of Sasuke's inner circle. At least accepting this mission had given him a chance to sit back and relax away from their prying eyes.

The man placed his hands behind his head as he lay on the roof of the local house, his eyes moving up towards the sky as he watched the clouds go by. The dog kung fu user had long grown tired of the eventless meetings and boring session he had to attend as a member of Team Hebi. Of course he had been forced to join against his will upon losing to their leader, so it didn't much matter whether or not he particularly liked the position. Not only was it boring, but he honestly didn't care what the others did so long as they left him alone.

As if on cue, a red-haired figured landed beside him, a devilish grin on her face. "Wake up dogface, it's about time we get this show on the road!" When he didn't move right away, she kicked him in the side. "C'mon, there's work to be done… Why else would I be forced to spend time with your ugly mug?"

"Yeah, like seeing your face brightens up my day." Kiba replied with an irritated growl. "I'm getting tired of doing all the dirty work for Devil Eyes. If he's so damn tough, why doesn't the bastard get off his ass and take care of the situation personally."

"First of all, this mission is beneath his personal notice. Secondly, I don't think anything you've been doing this week qualifies as work at all, unless you think sleeping on rooftops contributes to the goals of our organization."

The dog-like man groaned in response to this typical answer. "Give me a break, all we've been doing lately is watching the enemy like vultures and watching these losers live their lives isn't exactly the thrill of my day when there's a million other things I'd rather be doing. To top things off, you never even told me how this nonsense is helping the cause!"

"You really are an idiot…" she replied coolly, using her index finger to adjust her glasses. "I've been watching these fools for the last few days to get a grasp on their individual schedule. Due to the efforts of our vast spy network during the past three days, I have currently compiled a standard routine for each member of the Shinpaku Alliance and Konoha respectively."

Kiba wrinkled his nose with a disgusted expression. "Are you even capable of saying something without sounding like a creepy stalker?"

Karin continued speaking as if he hadn't interrupted. "With this new information, we also have signaled out the times of day when the enemy is most vulnerable. It would appear that both targets have taken precautions against our attacks, but we've managed to locate two holes in their safety net."

"Precautions, eh? That could explain why they travel in groups and stay home after dark." He contemplated this for a moment before glancing back at her. "Since you seem pretty confident that now's the right time to strike, do we finally get some action?

Karin glanced at her watch and smiled deviously. "One of our primary targets should be heading this way right now." She turned her gaze down to the sidewalk below. "As a matter of fact, he's coming this way just as I anticipated. While you handle him, I will attend to the second target."

Kiba glanced down with a distasteful expression. "No offense, but that kid looks like an idiot."

"He happens to be the heir to Konoha and currently holds the rank of top disciple." She replied with a smirk.

"Sounds like this could be interesting…" he mused with a look of interest. "So you're leaving this dude entirely up to me, right? None of your dirty tricks to get in the way?"

"He's all yours! I sincerely hope you won't disappoint to the Devil Fist." She replied with casual shrug before leaping to a neighboring rooftop and disappearing into a nearby alley.

He was completely indifferent to her sudden departure, only caring about that fun that was to come. Without so much as a second though, Kiba leapt from his foothold and leapt towards the blonde boy, causing him to leap away to avoid collision. While his target seemed puzzled at best, the attacker's eyes were glimmering with a sense of anticipation. The feral fighter was clearly disappointed when the boy didn't lash out in return, although judging solely from the look on the target's face, he probably thought that the whole thing was an accident.

Naruto blinked once in response to the sudden entrance before firing up. "Dude, be careful to watch we're you landing!"

He dusted off his clothes and drew himself up to his full height before turning to face him. "Let's cut to the chase… Are you the Number One Disciple of Konoha?"

"Yeah, that's me!" the boy grinned widely and thrust his fist forward with a sense of boundless confidence. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, the man who's gonna be the world's greatest fighter! You might wanna get my autograph now before it becomes super valuable!"

Kiba smiled, revealing his sharpened incisors. "Sure, you can sign it in blood once I'm finished tearing you to shreds." He swung a claw-like hand at his opponent, forcing him to sidestep the strike and leap away. "Looks like you can dodge pretty well! Looks like this might be more fun than I originally expected!"

The blonde disciple grit his teeth and took a defensive stance as he distanced himself from the enemy. "What's your deal, buddy?" he considered the possibilities for a second before coming to an obvious conclusion. "Wait a minute! Are you one of those creeps from Team Hebi?"

"While I don't like bring compared to the others, it seems you're not as dumb as you look." The feral fighter straightened up slightly and nodded. "I'm Kiba Inuzuka, the undefeated king of the Underground Fighting Arena and one of the Demons of Team Hebi."

Naruto tossed aside his school bag and discarded his jacket, leaving him standing in a t-shirt and shorts. He raised his fists and changed his breathing pattern to conserve energy, his eyes blazing fiercely. "After what your gang's been doing to my friends, I don't plan on going easy on you!"

"It's insulting for you to lump me in with those idiots. I may have been ordered to fight you as member of the gang, but that doesn't mean my reasons are the same. My superiors might favor dirty tactics, but that doesn't mean squat to a guy like me! Today I'm challenging you, not as one of the Demons of Team Hebi, but as a fellow martial artist."

"I don't care either way, so long as I get to kick your ass!" he replied boisterously.

Kiba let out a dry laugh. "I'm might actually be starting to like you, kid! I respect a man who knows how to cut the crap and gets to the point. Let's hope that you can make this even mildly entertaining, or else this'll be over fast!"

Konoha's top student crunched his knuckles menacingly. "Bring it on, Fangs!"

The two combatants charged each other head-on, neither side hesitating for a moment as their fists collided in mid-air. An explosion of killing intent surged through the vicinity as they made contact, a sense of animalistic ferocity permeating the atmosphere. Naruto did a tiny leap and thrust his leg in the air with a 360 degree spin, alternating between both legs as he attempted to strike at his opponent, but Kiba bent back and rolled sideways, flailing his own legs in a series of powerful spin kicks.

Naruto attempted to take advantage of his opponent's position on the ground and aimed a series of low kicks, but his opponent flipped onto his stomach and shifted onto all fours before using the strength of both his arms and legs to propel himself away from the oncoming strikes. The blonde disciple took a moment to grasp these bizarre movements, but Kiba sprung forward like a wild beast and slashed him across the face with his sharpened nails, following up this first move by thrusting his opposite hand into the boy's stomach.

Konoha's disciple lowered his arm to block the strike, although the force still sent him skidding backwards across the street. He reached up to his face to rub the place where he was bleeding. "I've never seen moves like that before?"

"That's not surprising…" Kiba relaxed his joints for a moment as he faced his opponent. "Dog Style Kung Fu's become pretty rare nowadays, but my family's been practicing it for centuries! We've added to several of our own techniques to make it a unique style to the Inuzuka Clan. We say fuck you to all those critics who say it can't be used practically!"

"You're not too bad, but I wouldn't get my hopes up for a win if I were you!"

"I was thinking the same thing about you! That lame Shaolin style you use is nothing against my Gou Quan martial arts!" the feral man bore his teeth. "Of course, you're more than welcome to try. If you don't, this fight won't be nearly as fun!"

"You ain't seen nothing yet!" Naruto screamed as he aimed a wide sweeping kick to his opponent's ankles.

Kiba laughed at his efforts and performed a small leap and instead closed the distance between them by performing a front flip, moving directly into his opponent's arm reach. The blonde disciple countered by performing a series of powerful punches, moving each arm in and out in a strong-handed motion, but his opponent dropped on the floor, catching himself mid-fall with his hands and kicking Naruto in the jaw with a series of upward strikes. Konoha's disciple fell back with a groan of pain, although being caught off guard by the strike left him wide open.

"Too slow!" The dog-like fighter pulled back arms back and thrust them forward, changing the angle of his arms mid-way and smashing him in the groin.

"Oh shit, not good!" Naruto hit the street with a crash, barely managing to move as a foot came inches from smashing his skull. He leapt to his feet, stiffly cringing as he felt the pain below the belt. "Looks like that Nijima kid was right… You guys really do play for keeps!"

His enemy scoffed at the idea before exhaling deeply. "C'mon kid, this isn't a lame sparring match at the local dojo. There's no placemats and referees to keep anyone from dying and no rules to hide behind if you can't make the cut! In a real fight between true martial artists, giving any less than your best efforts could easily result in death!"

"Is that so?" the blonde boy took a fighting pose, an amused smile coming to his face. "It's been a while since I've seen any real action, so maybe I should thank you for reminding me! No more holding back, it's time you see the full extent of my skills!"

"It's about time!" Kiba swung his arm eagerly, his slit-like pupils shrinking like a predator's.

Naruto blocked an incoming kick with a barehanded punch, using his opposite fist to strike back only for his opponent to grab him by the wrist and maneuvered around him. The dog-like man aimed a palm strike at point-blank range, making it nearly impossible to dodge. Naruto's eyes widened as he turned his head and saw the strike coming. Under normal circumstances he would have been able to avoid it while trapped in a hold, but a fraction of a second before the blow hit, he instinctively moved with the attack.

"Huh, what the Hell?!" His attacker raised an eyebrow, looked stunned for a second, but started hammering him with a series of blows.

It was surprising that he had remembered it now of all times, but the blonde-haired disciple found himself moving with the attacks, his body swaying ever so slightly as they came. He lashed out in a whip-like manner and nailed Kiba with a strike to the elbow and shoulder respectively, disrupting the flow of his attacks mid-way. His arm fell limp, leaving him wide open for a counterattack. Naruto stiffened his right arm and pulled it back before thrusting his fist into the enemy's face, a loud crunching sound filling his ears as he sent the dog-like man spiraling backwards into a parked car.

"Damn!" Kiba ran a hand down his face, wiping away the stream of blood that was now running down his face. He shook his head violently and placed a finger to his forehead, his eyes tightly closed. "Crap, I can't even see straight… That was a pretty impressive punch!"

Konoha's disciple glanced at his fist as if he were surprised by his own strength, but quickly turned his gaze towards the injured man. "So, how do you like that? Good enough for you, or do you need another demonstration?"

To his surprise, the animalistic fighter broke out into hysteric laughter. "Hell yeah, that's what I'm talking about! Just when I was starting to lose interest in this fight, you started busting out a ton of new moves." His cheerful demeanor evaporated almost instantly, revealing a look of interest. "Those last few techniques you used weren't any form of Shaolin that I've ever seen."

"They weren't…" Naruto answered with an unusually serious expression. " As the Number One Disciple of Konoha, it's my responsibility to carry on the legacy of all its masters. That dodging technique was born from the style of Snake Kung Fu, while that last punch was pure Karate!"

"You know what? I'm actually glad the boss forced me to get involved in this mission. You're just the kind of opponent I've been looking for!" the boy declared loudly, his killing intent flaring up like that of a wild bear. "Finally, a fight I can enjoy to my heart's content!"

He rolled forward and began lashing out with his hands, alternating between palm strikes, fists, and slashing movements in a wild frenzy. Naruto countered with a flurry of arm movements and punches, their fists clashing as they exchanged blows. Both combatants took he full force of each other's hits without flinching while launching attacks of their own, but whenever one would go in for a death blow, the other would find a way to counter using their own movements, neither side letting up for even a second.

"Eat this, knucklehead!" Kiba shot his fist through the enemy's guard and extended his fingers outwards to slash with his sharpened nails while aiming for the throat.

Naruto shot his leg into the air in a high kicking motion, smacking the feral fighter's hand away and using his opposite leg to perform and sweeping kick. Kiba leapt sideways and rolled forward towards his opponent, closing the distance left between them and smashed him in the stomach with a powerful palm strike, causing the blonde disciple to recoil and stumble backwards in pain. Seeing an opening, the dog-like man did a front flip and landed behind Naruto will on all fours, using the strength of both his arms and legs to smash his entire body into the Konoha disciple's unprotected back with excessive force.

The blonde disciple went hurtling into the air before landing face first on the concrete sever meters away, a small groan escaping his lips as he struggled to stand up. "I wasn't expecting that…" he hissed, using his hands to lift himself up. "Can't let my guard down!"

"For someone who was talking so big earlier, you sure don't look so good." Kiba replied with a sarcastic sneer.

"I won't lose, especially not to someone like you!" Naruto stood up again, moving around a bit to check if anything was broken. Although his entire body felt as though it was being supported by a creaky foundation, he was in relatively decent shape for having taken such a strong hit. "Let's finish this!"

"I couldn't have said it better myself!" Kiba ignored his own pain and powered on through.

With a new savagery, the brown-haired fighter advanced on his adversary, brings his hands together, and then thrust one overhead and the other from below, alternating between different movements in an attempt to confuse his victim. Naruto stiffened his fingers and performed a series of chops taught to him by Master Guy to counter each strike with one of his own before tightening his left hand into a fist and smashing the dog-like man in the stomach. At the same time, Kiba thrust his sharpened nails into the boy's opposite shoulder, causing him to recoil.

"Like I said before… You lack the speed to keep up with a fighter like me!" the feral combatant screamed with an excited leer.

He took the opportunity to slash Naruto several times with his claws before grappling onto his arm and smashing him into the cement. Once the boy was on the ground, Kiba did a back flip and tried to smash his ribcage by planting both feet into his stomach. The blonde fighter gasped in pain as he felt the full force of the blow, feeling as though someone had just struck him in the mid-section with a wrecking ball. The dog-like man reached down and dug his claws into the boy's leg, tossing him overhead and driving him headfirst into a brick wall with all the strength he could muster.

Kiba watched the opponent's form grow limp with a satisfied expression before turning his back to him. "I have to admit you put up a pretty good fight, but your moves are way too sloppy. You may have learned several styles of martial arts, but it's completely useless unless you can apply them all together to make it your own…"

"You don't get it, do you?" Naruto shook off the strike, his body quaking violently as he stood back up. His adversary turned with a look of shock, but he ignored it. "You idiots don't know the first thing about the disciples of Konoha!"

"How the Hell can you even be standing after going through all that?" the enemy screamed, his eyes wide with shock.

"I won't lose to someone like you! That's a promise I made to my friends when your flunkies started attacking us, and I won't let them down!"

The feral fighter felt the pain in his own body return, causing him to wince. "Damn, it looks like you leave me no choice." He choked down the sting of his injuries like bad tasting medicine, the feeling only adding to his rage. "I was hoping to end this fight without actually killing you, but since you seem to keen on dying, I might as well oblige!"

Kiba ran towards his opponent again, but this time he felt a strange chill in the air that made him flinch subconsciously. Naruto's aura had changed considerably and his killing intent gushed out like water from a fountain, feeling as if it were about to explode at any moment. For a second he remembered his first encounter with Sasuke, along with the feelings of dread tat came with it, but this time was different. The Devil Fist had possessed a dark cold aura, but despite it's ferocity, this boy's aura seemed like a powerful resolve rather than a bottomless hatred.

Knowing what hesitation could do in the middle of a fight, Kiba did his best to ignore the wayward power emanating from the boy and resumed his attack. They met midway and began lashing out at each other again, but Kiba felt his own movement slowing down. To make matters worse, he noticed that the blonde fighter seemed completely undeterred by his own injuries, the phenomenon only furthering his own sense of dread. They exchanged blows again, but this time his own attacks seemed to only enrage the boy further.

"This is unreal! What are you?" Kiba screamed as the unfamiliar sensation of fear filled his gut.

"I already told you…" Naruto answered with a strong sense of pride. I'm the man who's gonna be the world's greatest fighter!"

"We'll see about that!" the enemy attempted to strike again, only to be repelled by the force of the boy's rapidly moving fists.

The Dog Kung Fu user attempted to keep up with the flurry of punches, but the rhythm was too fast and powerful to counter, especially in his condition. They had bother sustained injuries, and yet the blonde fighter's well of energy seemed bottomless. As the clash continued, Kiba noticed his own attacks growing steadily weaker, and the large amount of killing intent saturating the air was making his attacks wayward and predictable out of forced desperation. At this point just staying in the battle was becoming difficult.

Kiba aimed a clumsy punch, but Naruto applied Anko's dodging technique to move with the strike and karate chopped the enemy's wrist, smashing through his guard with a series of punches. Konoha's Number One Disciple swung his leg upwards before crouching down and slamming him in the knees with a second blow. Moving low to the ground, the spiky-haired blonde finished the combo by performing a spinning kick to Kiba's ankles.

He watched carefully as the enemy did a frenzied leap to avoid being tripped, but unfortunately the dodge moved him into the perfect position for a finishing blow. Jumping to his feet, Naruto applied some boxing techniques by loosening his arms before releasing a volley of lightning fast punches. Unable to counter on time, Kiba took the blunt of the assault, a stream of blood running from his mouth as several shots smashed away at every inch of is face and torso.

With his opponent still reeling from the storm, Naruto applied his karate technique to one last punch and slammed his fist into Kiba's face, the white's of his eyes showing as his body came crashing to the ground. He twitched violently for a moment before passing out completely, his body falling limp on the sidewalk. Several minutes passed before Kiba woke up, but seeing his opponent staring down at him quickly snapped him out of his groggy state.

"Are you all right?" Naruto asked with a worried expression, extending a hand to him.

Kiba blinked twice with a blank expression, a growl escaping his lips seconds later. "What's your deal, kid? I just tried to kill you and now you're trying to help me! Were you just born stupid or did you take lessons on how to be a dumbass?"

Without warning, the blonde disciple picked him up. "Sheesh, you're a whiner!" he squinted with a distasteful expression before plopping the other man into a sitting position against a nearby building. "You put up really good fight, so the least you deserve is some respect from your opponent."

"Why am I not surprised by this?" the feral fighter resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He tried to move his arms, but found that his body felt much heavier than usual. After finding his center, he decided there was no point in protesting. "So, how long was I out?"

"What?!" Naruto asked with a puzzled expression, gently raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"You deaf or something? I just asked you how long I was passed out!"

Konoha's number one disciple relaxed his shoulders and sat down so that he was sitting across from his opponent. "I'm guessing you were out for at least seven minutes, ten minutes tops. Why's that so important to you?"

Kiba let out a dry chuckle, his eyes lazily moving up towards the sky as he thought the situation over. "Seriously speaking, you could've killed me about a hundred times while I was out cold. There's no doubt about it… This was definitely my loss!"

Naruto followed his gaze for a moment before glancing at his former adversary. "I was expecting you to pull something sneaky while we were fighting, but in the end you kept it clean and put up an awesome fight." The boy picked his ear, casually flicking aside a piece of wax. "That's a lot more than I expected from a gang of thugs, especially ones who've been attacking my buddies."

"If it's any consolation, you're not half bad yourself… The way you mixed styles together in the middle of a fight was pretty awesome!"

"Thanks, you've got some pretty cool moves too!" The blonde disciple spoke casually a smile forming as if talking to his enemy were the most natural thing in the world.

The Gou Quan practitioner found himself laughing again. "What kind of dude helps his opponent and starts making random conversation after a fight? I've never met a fighter like you before…"

Konoha's top student placed a hand behind his head and grinned goofily. "You're not the first person who's ever said that to me." His face twisted into a confounded expression as he thought about the question. "Even while were fighting, I got the impression that you were a decent guy. Don't ask why, it's just a sixth sense of mine…"

"You're a weird kid, you know that, right?" his adversary asked with a serious look.

Naruto took the comment in stride. "That's another thing that people have said to me, especially my masters… What about you?"

"What about me?" Kiba reiterated, sounding slightly confused as to his meaning.

"You seem like a decent person, kinda like Haku, only he told me he had his own reasons for joining Team Hebi. I was wondering why someone like you wanted to be one of those thugs?"

The dog kung fu user considered for a moment before realizing there was no harm in telling. "Heh, you're a lot smarter than you look… The only reason I joined this squad of delinquents is because their boss kicked my ass without even breaking a sweat."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise. "It couldn't have been that bad… I can't imagine anyone short of a master-class fighter could take you down so easily!"

"He wasn't master-class, but this guy must've had some extreme training from an Elite Master!" Kiba looked disgusted by the memory of his defeat. "The Devil Fist outclassed me using some of the simplest movements, and he exuded an aura so dark that being in his presence made me feel like I was drowning."

"This guy sounds like a monster!" Naruto replied with a look of interest.

"The Demons of Team Hebi are terrified of the boss… I'm the kind of guy who respects his opponent's strength, which is more or less the only reason I joined them. Truth is that I had no desire to stick around, but the terms of our agreement were that I would submit if he was able to beat me in a fight." With some difficulty, the feral fighter stood back up and strode past.

Konoha's disciple began following him. "Those wounds need to be treated before you can go walking around! Where are you going now?"

Kiba spit on the sidewalk, not even bothering to turn around. "I'm heading back to Team Hebi!"

"If you don't want to stick with those jerks than why are you going back? There's no point in running to those guys if you hate them!"

"You're missing the point…" he began with a beastly smile, his eyes burning dangerously. "I'm through with those assholes! The promise I made was to join Team Hebi, but old Devil eyes never said I couldn't resign as my own leisure. I'm heading back to the hideout because I've got some personal business to take care off!"

"I thought you said you were afraid of the boss?" Naruto reminded him.

The feral fighter smirked, revealing his fang-like teeth. "Fighting you made me remember my pride, and a guy like me doesn't let himself get pushed around by anyone no matter who! Hell yeah… My mother was scary as they come and I pegged her off more than once!" he swung into the air and grabbed onto a fire escape before hurtling onto a nearby rooftop. "Thanks for knocking the sense back into me, I owe you one!"

"Come back!" the blonde disciple tried to follow him, but by the time he reached the rooftop, he was already gone. Naruto clenched his fists with an irritated look. "Damn, that idiot's gonna get himself killed…"

Meanwhile…

Rock Lee strode through the park doing his afternoon walk on his hands. Before each session with Master Guy, he always prepared by performing various exercises in the local park. While Shikamaru had been hesitant at first to allow it, they had eventually decided to let the notion pass since it was such a public area. Oddly enough the place seemed relatively empty today and was completely devoid of playing children and frolicking couples. If this had bothered him at first, he ignored it and continued with his daily regimen.

The sound of rustling in the bushes caught his attention mid-step, following by the sound sheen of a kunai knife speeding towards him. The green-clad fighter reacted instinctually by flipping onto his feet and twisting his body around. Lee glanced around apprehensively and opened his senses, his eyes staring around for the source of the attack. His eyes caught sight of a robed figure running into the nearby woods, prompting him to give chase.

"You must be the lowest of the low to attack me and flee!" Lee screamed as he followed the enemy through the trees.

The chase continued for a minute or two with him jumping over tree roots and swatting aside branches in an attempt to keep up. Whoever he was chasing was light on their feet, and it was clear from their precise movements that the person had received some martial arts training. While he had yet to remove his ankle weights, Lee was surprised that his attacker was able to outrun him so easily. Even carrying the extra poundage, he was well known for being one of the fastest disciples in Konoha.

As he followed the retreating figure into a clearing, the boy was so intent on pursuit that he came inches from running directly into a trap. Skidding to a halt between two trees, he realized that the path was blocked off by a series of thin metal wires.

"Where are you hiding, cowards? Come out and face me!" Lee shouted into the overgrowth.

A woman with red hair and glasses stepped into view, standing on the other side of the wires. Her expression remained sadistic and evil. "It looks like my source was right… You really are just as impulsive as they say."

The green-clad fighter found her demeanor unsettling, although he remained undaunted. "I've never seen you before in my life! Who are you, and why on Earth would you want to attack me?"

"I am Karin, one of the top commanders of Team Hebi… Unless you've been living under a rock for several weeks, that should've answered both of your questions." She paused for a moment to take in his outrage. "Looks like I struck a nerve just now!"

"You think I'll let you get away with you attacking my friends? We've been under constant attacks by your gang of hoodlums, and yet you seem to have no real reason behind it or remorse for these disgraceful actions!" Lee shouted, his fists quaking violently.

She glanced at her fingernails nonchalantly. "We have our reasons, although it would appear you are too blind to see the truth in more ways than one. You probably don't even realize that this whole thing is actually a trap, and you fell right into it without even knowing…"

Lee glanced around again, realizing that several other trees around him were strung with metallic wires, the thin fibers acting like a sort of spider-web. "No matter what the case, I won't allow myself to be defeated by the likes of you! I'm ready for anything you can throw at me, so go ahead and bring it on!"

"Hold on, bushy-brows! I never said I was your opponent…" Karin placed a hand on her hip and tousled her long red hair with a sinister smile. She placed a finger to her lip and whistled loudly, signaling to an unseen person. "He's all yours! Try to make this fight quick and relatively painful if you can!"

A third figure jumped down from the trees, landing several yards away from Lee. Although the newcomer wore a black cloak like the rest of Team Hebi's fighters, she quickly discarded the garment. The girl was rather petite in terms of height and build, wearing a form-fitting white bodysuit along with a pair of light shoes and what appeared to be a metal ring around her neck. She had pale features, deep purple eye, and very light green hair that ran just past her shoulder, two large bangs framing each side of her delicate face with a stray lock hanging between her eyes. A metal gauntlet covered her right hand, the metal fingers shaped like the claws of a bear.

"My name is Kagero, and I hold a position as one of the Demons of Team Hebi." She bowed gracefully, but her voice remained flat and emotionless. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

The green-clad fighter furrowed his eyebrows and grinned widely. "I am Rock Lee, Konoha's Handsome Devil."

Although her expression remained gaunt and emotionless, her deep violet eyes betrayed a sense of shameless bloodlust. "Indeed, I hope my skills will provide you with a suitable challenge…"

Note to Readers: Naruto's first major fight, and it looks like he's doing pretty well. This was a good way to showcase some of he training so far and give him a chance to use it in a fight. Next chapter, more action and development! Sorry if there's typos, or errors in spelling and grammar, but write chapters for my stories late at night most of the time.

Next time Lee takes no chances and places his efforts into the fight, but will it be enough when he's also facing off against Karin's schemes as well? Also, not all of Yami agrees with Orochimaru's approach to rearing up disciples, but who will win out when the key person opposing him is one of the scariest masters of the One Shadow Nine Fists?

Support feels like it's at an all-time low right now… If you have any suggestions for the story, please share. Also feel free to comment if you liked something, want to see something happen, or have any guesses or predictions as to what will happen next! I love to know that someone is enjoying my story. Overall, don't forget to **REVIEW**! It motivates me to keep working on this story!


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: The Power of Youth**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

BONUS MATERIAL: I made an AMV for the HSDK series. If anyone wants to see it, my Youtube Account name is AndrewR5D42.

The scene froze for a moment as both combatants waited for the other to make a move, but before either could attack, Lee remembered something important. During his last clash with Team Hebi, he had made the mistake of underestimating his opponents, a lesson he had learned all too well. If three low-level grunts could force him into such a position, he shuddered at what the most powerful members could do. The girl standing in front of him hardly looked dangerous, but Guy had always taught him not to be deceived by physical appearances. In the world of martial arts, there were prodigies who had made the rank of master at an early age, so taking any opponent lightly was not advised.

"Time-out!" he shouted, placing one hand over the other and bowing hastily. "You have my sincerest apologies, but I am not yet fully prepared for a battle as glorious as this!"

Karin did a double take. "There's no time-outs in the middle of a street fight!" she burst out, her left eye twitching in annoyance. "Just kill him, Kagero!"

The green-haired girl shook her head and lowered her arms. "I will allow him to prepare… There is no point to defeating an enemy who cannot fight at their full strength."

Lee batted her a thumb's up before reaching to his ankles, removing the weights that he always wore underneath his pants. He tossed them over his shoulder into the trees, a loud thump shaking the ground as a small cloud of dirt rose from the place of impact. Karin's eyes widened in shock at the small tremor beneath her feet, her mouth dropping for a moment as she pondered how much extra poundage he had been carrying. If Kagero was thinking the same thing, she did little to express it. The green-clad fighter did a quick stretches, cracking his wrists and practicing a few jabs before throwing his arms in the air.

"Now I can move freely!" he declared boisterously, a cheerful glint in his eyes.

"I can see that…" the green-haired girl blinked twice, her expression remaining unchanged.

The bushy-browed fighter clenched his fists and smirked. "It's been quite a long time since my last real fight! I look forward to finding out whether or not the Demons of Team Hebi are as fearsome as their reputation!"

Kagero placed on hand into the other and bowed her head gracefully. "You seem very confident in your abilities." She raised her head and nodded slowly. "Before we begin this battle, you should understand that practitioners of the Satsujinken fight with their lives on the line. Are you prepared to stake your own existence against mine?"

"A true martial artist will face any opponent while knowing the risks! This is simply the nature of battle!" he burst out with a note of anticipation.

The tiniest of smiles flickered across her face for a second. "It would seem you have the heart of a true fighter…" her tone suddenly became dark and foreboding. "Do not blame me if you die!"

Kagero turned her gaze as if she were about to depart the scene before whipping around to face her opponent, a sense of madness dancing in her eyes. Several metal wires with shot out of the metal gauntlet on her hand, forcing Lee to duck as the points attached to the ends of the fibers planted themselves into the bark of the tree behind him. The green-clad fighter let out a loud battle cry and advanced on his opponent with blinding speed, but she grabbed onto a wire above her head and swung out of his reach.

He and attempted to copy her movements, but was struck in the chest as his opponent came back down to his level. The green-haired girl barely acknowledged him as she flung her petite frame in a circular pattern, wrapping the other end of her wires around a second tree and leaping from one branch to the next in an impressive display of acrobatics. Lee quickly recovered from her counterattack as she pointed her shooter at him again, quickly diving out of the way as a second series of hook wires shot out from her gauntlet.

"Enough games… Show me what you've got!" Lee called after his retreating opponent.

He moved with striking distance with a singe movement, his body disappearing in a blur of color. The bushy-browed fighter pounced onto one of the wires and leapt towards his opponent, doing a spin in mid-air to build up momentum and increase the force of his strike. Kagero grabbed onto one of her wires and pulled herself out of range as he came crashing down, the impact leaving a small crater where she had been standing less than second ago. There was no doubt in her mind that he was good.

"If anything, tat was an impressive display of power, and your speed is clearly the result of some form of intense training." She commented in an emotionless drawl. "Much more than I expected from someone so young…"

"You can thank Master Guy for teaching me so well… Allow me to demonstrate the true extent of my speed!" he declared with a sense of pride.

Lee vanished in a another blur, reappearing right in front of his opponent and thrusting his fists forwards in a series of bullet-like punches. His opponent felt the heart as she barely managed to avoid each strike, the last one catching her off-guard. Realizing she wouldn't be able to dodge it in time, Kagero raised her arm in an attempt to block him, the force of the impact sent her flying. She braced herself and flipped around in mid-air while using her weapon to set up another series of wires. The attack left a large dent in her metallic glove, but she was otherwise unscathed.

The pale-skinned girl lowered her gloved arm and raised her opposite hand, revealing a second device on her left wrist. "I believe it's time I put an end to this battle…" She clenched her fist, causing the weapon to shoot several large needles at her opponent.

Her sudden attack forced him to respond with a series of frenzied skips, his body dancing around the senbon like a leaf in the breeze. While dodging and weaving through the projectiles, Lee couldn't sense any rhythm to her attacks, but his superior speed and reflexes allowed him to escape the relentless assault unharmed. He moved in a series of complex formation to avoid instant death, mildly impressed that each of the needles he avoided were aimed at his vital points. To a martial artist, finding a worthy opponent was both exciting and terrifying at the same time, a sensation that Lee was becoming more familiar with by each passing moment.

"Very impressive, but you won't catch me that easily!" he retorted confidently.

"I think not…" Kagero responded in a cold whisper, her emotionless gaze hardening.

Lee dodged another needle with a well-timed display of acrobatics, but was unable to stick the landing due to the large number of wires. His arm was caught in the jumble for only a moment, but the second it took him to free himself proved costly. Although his struggling had prevented her from hitting any potentially dangerous places, several of the throwing needles stuck into his side of his arm, the searing pain causing him to gasp. Biting back the sting of his fresh wounds, he managed to move just in time to avoid the second wave of projectiles. He foresaw the attack, and knew that a hit could have resulted in severe blood loss.

Reaching up to his arm, he couldn't help but wince as he pulled the needles out. "Your skills is quite remarkable." he replied with a pained expression. "Most fascinating… I have seen many weapon-users in this world, but never one who uses such unorthodox techniques in battle."

"I am certain you have begun to see the true genius of my technique by now." She stood on a branch of a nearby tree and gestured towards the environment.

His eyes widened slightly at the sight, now realizing exactly what she was referring too. "These wires; their purpose is to limit my movements." he deduced thoughtfully. "Now it all makes sense! The reason why your friend led me out here was so that you would have the advantage!"

Karin emerged from the brush with a mocking grin, the light filtering in through the treetops shining off of her glasses menacingly. "This whole fight was a trap from the beginning, and yet you foolishly ran right into it." She shrugged with a chuckle. "I thought you Konoha kids were predictable at first glance, but I never imagined you were this stupid!"

"To give your side an advantage from the beginning is not what a true fighter should do!"

"Is it our fault you were gullible enough to step into the wolf's den without thinking?" the red-haired girl replied with a smirk.

"You speak as if I foresaw this and consciously chose to enter the fray! This is a cowardly way of fighting! Setting up an entire network of wires and then leading me directly into it!" Lee replied, his gaze seething with irritation.

Kagero glanced down at him from her place in the trees. "Is it unfair for the spider to weave her web and wait for the fly to trap himself?" she fired another wire from her gauntlet, forcing him to dodge again. "The advantage may be mine, but the move is yours… Can you turn the tide of this battle in your favor, or will you forfeit your life to me? "

"Master Guy always told me that a real fighter never gives up no matter what the case! That is the philosophy of Konoha!" he screamed before powering on through.

Lee grabbed onto a wire and swung himself into the canopy, only to find another jumbled mess of wires waiting for him. Being a disciple of karate, he had rarely been trained to cope with such strange conditions, but it would take a lot more than this to stop him from trying. Kagero stood several meters away in the nearby tree looking completely nonchalant. Charging through the branches, he tried to move within striking range, but was forced to maneuver through her traps while dodging incoming throwing needles.

He silently wondered where the redhead had disappeared to for a moment, but failed to sense her presence and quickly resumed the chase. The battle continued for several minutes as the two combatants maneuvered through trees, although the longer he pursued his target, the more Lee realized how much more skilled at this than he was. Kagero had no trouble using the wires as a means of travel, easily moving through each preset barricade with flawless grace, while his own progression was slower and less methodical.

The flurry of senbon whizzing through the air also impeded his pursuit, but he sensed that in her attempt to keep the distance between them, her aim was getting sloppier. It made him feel a little more confident in his ability to win, but a single misstep pushed him into the path of flying senbon. He cringed in pain as a series of throwing needles stuck into his left leg, causing him to miss the next tree branch and fall to the ground. Crashing down through several branches, he managed to land on his feet with some difficulty, his knees quaking due to the force of the impact combined with his injuries.

Lee stumbled again as he removed the sharp implements from his calf. "Came pretty close to disabling my leg, but it would seems you missed your target!" he replied with a forced smile.

The pale girl landed beside him, and halted her attack with a sense of satisfaction. "Look at you, barely able to keep up with me, and yet you continue to fight. No matter how long you dodge my attacks, the injuries you sustain will eventually make you an easy target for my killing technique… It's only a matter of time."

"We'll see about that!" he spoke defiantly, raising his arms to strike a karate pose.

She leapt into the air and began raining needles down on her target, but he continued to dodge to the best of his ability. Normally he could have escaped to the onslaught and delivered his own attacks in return, but the network of wires surrounding them made it difficult to move, much less launch his own counterattack. Tripping over a low wire, he managed to prevent a nasty fall, but the moment it took him to do this allowed his attacker to stick three senbon into his exposed back. Knowing that he couldn't completely avoid it, Lee adjusted his movements ever so slightly so that the projectiles didn't hit any vital organs directly.

"You truly are a merciless girl, never letting up for a moment. Just what I would expect from a practitioner of the Satsujinken."

Kagero did a leap backwards to add some distance between them, looking rather satisfied with the results. "A limited close range fighter like you can never hope to overcome my Fuma Clan Weapons Style!"

"Fuma Clan?" Lee reiterated with a thinking pose, his confounded demeanor making it look as though he had forgotten the battle. "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

"You claim to be a martial artist, and yet you know nothing about the Fuma Clan!" she began with an arrogant snort. "What exactly have the masters of Konoha been teaching you?"

"What are you talking about?" the green-clad boy shouted back.

"In the days of feudal Japan, my ancestors created their own style of fighting using specialized weapons and secret techniques focused on exploiting the use of those devices. "Over the years I have extensively studied the style of more forbearers in order to prove its superiority to conventional martial arts!" Kagero explained emotionlessly.

He looked lost for a moment. "I do not understand what you are trying to say… How can you actually prove that one style of fighting is superior to all others?"

"By killing fighters of other disciplines using my family's art, I will show the world the true power of the Fuma Clan's techniques!" She replied as if the situation were that simple.

"Your intentions are interesting, but completely misguided! Fighting is more about spirit and skill than which discipline you practice or the weapon you wield! In the hands of a true master even soft-handed styles like Tai Chi can prove most formidable, while in the hands of an amateur the mightiest blade no better than a stick."

"It is clear to me that your family never had any involvement in the world of martial arts, therefore you cannot possibly understand my beliefs. Even though you have trained with great masters, you lack appreciation for the historical significance that comes only to those who were raised in this world since birth."

The dark-haired boy punched his fists together and furrowed his eyebrows with a sense of deep pride. "I don't need history! I have the Power of Youth!" Lee grabbed onto one of the metal wires and began pulling in an attempt to remove them, but the hooks were embedded too tightly in to the bark and wouldn't budge.

Kagero watched his attempt for a moment. "It's pointless for you to try… Did you really think such a barbaric display would unravel my web?" She raised her left hand and fired another series of projectiles at her opponent.

"No, but perhaps this will!" he screamed before changing tactics. Lee leapt up into the trees, only further confusing his opponent. Taking to the offensive, she followed him into the branches.

He thought quickly in an attempt to find an alternate solution. Karate as a discipline was very centered around close-range combat, which put him at a severe disadvantage. Practitioners of his preferred martial art were known for using intense conditioning to increase the power of their strikes, but it didn't do much good when his opponent specialized in evasion tactics. Guy had taught him high-speed maneuvers, but it did little good when he wasn't able to maneuver through the literal net that his opponent had made.

Remembering his previous attempt to remove the wires made it clear he wouldn't be able to yank them from the trees. Deep thinking was never his specialty, but with his opponent in hot pursuit, he was forced to do it on his feet. Only seconds ago his power techniques seemed worthless, but seeing the wires entangled in the upper canopy of the trees gave him another idea. After dodging another flurry of needles, Lee tightened his fists and began smashing several branches with his punches and kicks, the wires falling to the ground with the broken tree limbs. Although he couldn't shatter the trunks of the threes to snap the metal lines, the branches were much less difficult to break.

Lee smirked in response to his own discovery before facing his opponent. "It would appear that your strategy has a flaw." He deduced out loud. "You use branches in order to weave this web, but if I smash the supports, your traps falls to pieces!"

The fight resumed quickly as he advanced on his opponent, using his fists to smash his way through the maze of wires. Branches cracked and split as he disabled one after another with a series of powerful chopping motions. Cutting branches with his hands was a snap compared to the long hours he spent punching walls at the dojo, and Master Guy's long training sessions had done well to toughen up his student's fists. Combined with his high-speed movements and incredible physical prowess, Lee made short work of his obstacles. She attempted to fire off more senbon, but her shooter was empty.

"It would appear you've run out of ammo." He pondered upon noting her expression. "Perhaps now you would like to test my skills for yourself!"

"Not quite!" she retorted, reaching over her shoulder and pulling one of the wires.

The action triggered a pulley mechanism she had set up before the battle, sending a stump tied by a rope swinging towards him like a wrecking ball. He found the maneuver amusing if nothing else, but instead of trying to dodge, he focused all of his power into a singly punch and shattered the offending object into a shower of splinters. Had it been any bigger his move wouldn't have worked, but the withered piece of wood was nothing against his raw power.

Kagero's eyes widened in shock as she watched him dismantle everything. "Such strength!" she muttered, her eyes widening in amazement.

"It took me ages of training in order to achieve this current level, but I am most decidedly proud of it!" The green-clad boy vanished in a blur, reappearing on the same branch she was standing on with his fist cocked for the strike. "It's over!"

She dodged his strike with considerable effort before pressing a button on the side of her gauntlet, causing a thick, metal blade to slide out from the hidden compartment. Kagero shifted her stance to the left and stabbed her weapon into his exposed shoulder, but his first attack had been a feint. A fraction of a second later, Lee's opposite hand shot beneath her guard and into her ribcage, the sheer force of the strike causing a loud cracking noise to reverberate through the wooded arena.

Having run right into each other's attacks, the two combatants locked gazes before Kagero coughed up a mouthful of blood and fell backwards out of the tree. He instinctively leapt from the tree and rolled across the ground in an attempt to trying to catch her, but his left arm refused to respond, forcing him to grab onto her with his right. Due to his injuries, the gesture made him little more than landing pad for her falling body, and the weight of her limp form crashing down only served to ignite his own pain. Lee gasped as the sensation filled his body, gently laying her onto the ground next to him.

Suddenly Karin's form emerged from the overgrowth like a phantom through shadow, a look of satisfaction on her face. "Very touching to see someone willing to risk their own well-being to help an enemy." She smirked, looking unusually vindictive. "Touching, but incredibly stupid!"

"Shameless woman, have you no respect for your own comrade?" he responded angrily, his knees quaking as the damage done by her needles began taking affect. Still, the boy's defiant glare did not waver. "She fought valiantly and was willing to do anything in order to defeat me!"

"And she lost…" the redhead finished with a pitiless expression.

She turned around as if to leave before spinning on her heel, slamming the side of her foot directly in the boy's face. Lee let out a pained groan as he felt the force of the kick, his jaw creaking violently as if it were about to snap. Although the power of her strike pushed him into the air, Lee managed to spin around and landed on his feet with a wobble in his step. He was outraged that the girl had attacked him in a vulnerable position, but it was even more of a disgrace that she was willing to attack an injured opponent with such impunity.

Lee rubbed the spot where he had been hit, a large bruise already forming on his face. "So, you wish to challenge me as well?" he seemed almost excited at the idea. "Close-range combat is more my forte, I look forward to seeing what you are capable of."

She returned his glare, but burst out into laughter moments later. "Kagero turned you into a pincushion, and yet you still have the nerve to pick a fight with me? You must have a death wish to challenge two of Team Hebi's Demons at once."

"So you would sooner back down than face me? Either your underestimate my abilities, or perhaps you are simply afraid to lose."

"Make no mistake, I do plan on disposing of you. It is simply a matter of how…" Karin shifted her gaze back onto the injured boy and smile in amusement.

She eyed him with a distasteful look before placing a finger in her mouth and whistling, causing several thugs to emerge from the surrounding trees. Her grunts were motley brunch consisting of street fighters, armed ruffians, and even a handful of amateur martial artists. Several of them were wearing snake-patterned scarves symbolizing their loyalty to Team Hebi, although they all wore the same piggish hungry expressions as if they couldn't wait to begin abusing their victim.

Lee glanced around, silently cursing himself for not sensing their presence sooner. "So, you plan on allowing these delinquents to finish the job for you?"

"Killing an injured man is beneath me, but no matter what the case, an idiot like you has no right to choose their executioner."

"Right you are, but I have no intention of dying in a place like this… Bring it on!"

Lee struck a stance and positioned his arms out, but at this point he could feel his strength was beginning to wane. While none of Kagero's attacks had killed him, the weight of his combined injuries had slowed his movements and his body was beginning to feel considerably heavier. He glanced around at the advancing enemies, quietly pondering how to launch his own attack. Being outnumbered and injured was bad, but he could tell by their movements that his attackers were a bunch of amateurs. While he had this in mind, the green-clad fighter also noted the presence of their leader.

Karin held up a hand to stop her subordinates while bearing down on her prey. "So bushy-brows, wanna say a few words before you die?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but the sound of his voice was soon drowned out by the barbaric yells of the enemy mob. Before he could aim a punch, several of the thugs fell face first onto the ground. Lee lowered his stance for a moment in confusion, his eyes catching sight of several more people. A handful of guys were now feuding with the Hebi grunts, driving them back in a display of unrestrained brawling. Lee was surprised by the sudden intrusion, but his questions were soon answered as a familiar alien-like figure entered the clearing.

"Stand back you lowly delinquents… Haruo Nijima has arrived, a man with powers far beyond the comprehension of mere mortals!"

Lee blinked with a clueless expression before joining the fray, quickly punching out several of the enemy fighters in the confusion before joining the demonic leader. "I am grateful for the assistance, but your timing was most unexpected."

The demonic man smiled, revealing a pair of fang-like teeth. "Think nothing of it, my boy! So long as you and your friends are allied with my organization, you'll have nothing to fear from these arrogant snakes!"

"Just wait a minute! You're that alien freak that leads the Shinpaku Alliance, aren't you?" the redhead deduced with an irritated glare.

"I see even peons like you have heard of my greatness! My reputation must be growing if someone like you knows of me, isn't that right, Karin of the Ten Demons?"

"You know my name?" Karin opened and closed her mouth confusedly, her expression hardening as she realized something important. "Wait a minute, you're not supposed to be here! My spies have been observing our targets for days now? There's no way you would've shown up here by chance!"

Lee glanced between them with a puzzled look. "What on Earth is going on here?"

Nijima let out an insane cackle, his long forked tongue waving around frantically. "How naïve you must be to think that a band of bumbling morons could escape the senses of a superhuman being like myself!"

"Wait a minute! You knew the entire time?" a vein on her forehead throbbed dangerously.

He pointed at the redhead accusingly, a pair of antennas peaking through his hairline. "Not only was I aware of your pathetic lackeys the entire time, I also used my own spy network to keep an eye on things!"

"So you've been keeping an eye on everyone, too?" Lee glanced back at the alien-like man.

"Not only that… Me boys were watching and waiting for Team Hebi to slither out of the cracks and make the first move."

Karin appeared intrigued by this. "Admittedly, I underestimated you… Who'd have thought someone among your team would know how to play the game so well?"

"It never does good to be the aggressor, but when the enemy starts up a fight, jumping into the conflict personally becomes an acceptable option." Nijima wagged his finger as if berating a child. "Your movements were nothing if not predictable, but now it's all over."

"For you!" the redhead's expression sudden became furious, her eyes blazing with a powerful killing intent.

She charged at the duo with the intention of taking them out, but a large figure moved into her path, prompting her to flip backwards. The newcomer was a very large man with short brown hair and a muscular build, his body covered by a thick layer of fat. He had thick eyebrows and a very heavy physique befitting the art of sumo. Raising his leg in the air, he brought it down with amazing force and shifted his weight from one side to the other, performing the ceremonial purification of the Earth by stamping his feet into the dirt.

"What the Hell!" Karin looked up in surprise at the newcomer, her arrogance slipping.

"While I would love to teach you a lesson myself, I'm certain he would be more than happy to keep you busy… Meet Thor, the Former Seventh Fist of Ragnarok!" Nijima introduced him.

The sumo wrestler punched his rock-hard chest and slammed the ground again as he faced the red-haired girl. "So, it looks like you'll be my opponent, little lady!"

Before either of them could speak, Lee shoved his way past the larger man. "This is my fight, not yours!" he warned with a sense of pride. "I'll take her on, you can back me up in case something bad happens."

Thor let out a hearty laugh before slapping the boy on the back, causing him to double over in pain. "Whoops, sorry about that…" he apologized hastily before lifting him back onto his feet with one arm. "Your reaction just now just proves my point! I like your spirit, little man, but you're in no condition to fight right now!"

"He's right, just leave this to us!" Nijima added with a menacing grin.

Lee prepared to argue back, but his leg gave out, forcing him onto one knee. After hesitating for a moment, he nodded with a reluctant grimace. "Very well, I leave this to you…"

"Excellent!" the hulking man shouted excitedly, his glare settling on their opponent. "So crazy lady, you ready to see the overwhelming power of combat sumo technique?"

Karin held one arm in the air and took a fighting stance. "I'll pop that over-inflated body of yours like a balloon… Bring it on, fat ass!"

"How dare you make fun of my body? Behind this giant physique is a wall of muscle like a suit of armor!" without further notice, he changed like an angry bull. "I'll smash you to pieces on behalf of all the fat guys in the world!"

Thor raised his fists and brought them down with as much force as he could muster, but his opponent shunted to the side and responded by nailing him in the gut with a series or bullet-like punches, completing her combo with a kick to the face. Thor recoiled for a moment before retaliating with a palm smash, but Karin foresaw his move and crossed her arms in front of her chest, to block it. She resisted for a moment, but the force of his strike had so much power that she was unable to stave off the assault when he thrust his second hand forward. With some difficulty, she managed to remain standing.

The sumo placed a hand under his chin and snapped his jaw back into place. "You got a pretty good kick for a woman, although it's nothing compared to what my friend Kisara can do."

Lee thought wracked his mind before coming to a conclusion. "I recognized those movements just now! That style she uses looks like some form of fast melee combat, almost like…"

"My preferred style of martial arts is American Kickboxing." Karin replied proudly. "While not as traditional as Muay Thai, I find it very straightforward and more to the point. Rather than focusing too much on joint movements, we kick-boxers break an enemy's bones with good old-fashioned punches and kicks!"

"Blunt and to the point… I respect that in a fighter." Thor replied as he wiped a trickle of blood from his nose. "Let's do this!"

Running towards her, he began performing a series of hand thrusts, moving his arms back and forth in forward motions in an attempt to smash through his retreating opponent. Karin weaved around his hands as she skipped backwards, never once turning her back to the giant wrestler. While the man's speed paled in comparison to her own, she noticed her enemy was unusually coordinated for a man his size, and his fighting style was powerful and fierce. She waited for an opening and smashed her fist into his forehead between strikes before following it up with a series of kicks to the groin area.

"That's dirty fighting!" Lee shouted in outrage, but was shocked when the larger man remained upright.

"Damn, that hurts like Hell!" the sumo wrestler faltered for a moment, but refused to fall. While he was normally the easygoing type, that last move had unleashed his temper. "I see you Team Hebi guys are just as brutal as Siegfried mentioned!"

"That names does sound familiar…" she mused out loud, scratching her chin thoughtfully. "Oh yeah, you must be talking about that moronic opera singer that Guren almost killed. From what I heard, your friend was a complete joke as a man, and an insult to martial artists everywhere."

Thor slammed the Earth again, causing the round beneath their feet to shake. "What did you say?" he screamed, looking even angrier than when she kicked him in the testicles.

"You heard me… I said your buddy was a bigger joke than you!"

"Make fun of me all you want, but when you talk smack about my friends, that's when I get mad! Siegfried is one of the most powerful fighters I've ever met, and allowing someone like you to make a mockery out of him is unacceptable!"

Karin ignored his comment and shot beneath the sumo wrestler's reach, hammering him in the stomach with a series of high-speed strikes. Although the strength of her blows was amazing, he refused to be pushed back and began flailing his own hands around in slapping motions, causing their attacks to collide one after another. The redhead responded by changing the rhythm of her movements to throw him off. Her opponent's irritated grunt indicated that her plan had worked, allowing her to nail him with a series of low kicks to the large man's kneecaps.

She did a back flip to move out of the way as his gigantic form came crashing down, letting out a triumphant snicker in response to his groans. "I thought you were going to defend your friend's honor… And yet here you are lying in the dirt!"

"You know something?" Thor began with a chortle of his own. The same strength from before filled his entire body, allowing him to rise again. "You've got a big mouth!"

"Looks like you know how to take a beating." She mused, looking genuinely impressed. "Your attacks may be slow and predictable, but I've never seen someone take a direct shot to the joints from my Death Blow and recover so quickly."

Nijima let out a maniacal laugh as he heard this. "What a dumbass! You really don't know Thor at all if you think a couple of your sissy girl kicks could possibly keep him down!"

"His endurance is amazing!" Lee watched the scene with a wide-eyed expression.

Just then, the sumo wrestler's stance rattled. "Damn, she really hit me hard! That chick sure knows how to take care of herself."

Before he could shake it off she charged in with her killing intent blazing, causing him to raise his guard prematurely. Using her bullish entry as a feint, Karin maneuvered around him with great agility and smashed her fist into the back of his head, causing the giant man to lurch forward dangerously. She finished the combo by unleashing a series of jabs to his spinal area, but Thor anticipated her movement and spun to face her, the brunt of the force being absorbed by his giant gut. Although he could feel the pain of each shot, he had prevented her from causing any lasting damage.

"That's enough!" he bellowed, his hand instinctively seizing her by the leg.

He tossed her over his shoulder with an overhead-throwing move, but the redhead recovered fast enough to shift her stance. Kicking out both legs at the same time, she used a nearby tree as a springboard and launched herself back towards her opponent. Thor was unable to react as she seized his shoulder swung behind him, preparing to strike to nape of his exposed neck. Before she could land the blow, a green shape darted through the overgrowth and barreled into her feet-first, the two-legged kick sending her smashing into a nearby trunk, causing a loud cracking noise to echo through the clearing.

Karin slid down the side of the tree leaving behind a mark in the bark. With some difficulty, she drew herself up to her full height and faced the enemy. "I thought you were ready to pass out! How can you possibly stand after being subjected to Kagero's killing techniques?"

"Master Guy always said I had a knack for bouncing back!" Lee replied with a confident smirk, although he also couldn't deny the weight of his own injuries. "Now that I've had a moment to catch my breath, I should have enough power left to end this battle!"

Thor turned to the green-clad fighter with a frown. "What're you doing up? I promised I would take care of this, and a sumo man never goes back on his word!"

"I told you that this was my fight first!" the bushy-browed disciple retaliated.

"While you idiots argue about who gets to fight me, why I don't I just kill you both and simplify things!"

The redhead prepared to attack again, but she realized upon trying to move that her shoulder had been dislocated from the sudden impact. She panicked slightly as the green-clad fighter appeared behind her, barely managing to dodge a point-blank strike from behind. Karin stumbled slightly as she moved out of the way, only to be sucker-punched in the stomach by a palm smash from the sumo wrestler. Thor stunned her with a slap and thrust both hands outwards, sending her flying several yards before she landed facedown on the ground.

With an angry scream, pushed herself back to her feet and scowled at her two opponents. "You bastards… Double-teaming me like that!"

"Is it any different than leading me into a trap?" Lee shot back with a sour expression.

"Not to mention you're the one who charged at us like a wild animal! We were just minding our own business!" the giant man barked in agreement.

Nijima grinned widely in response to the woman's poisoned expression. "The way I see it, you're the one who asked for it, sister! Get over yourself and surrender before we decide to get serious!"

Karin glanced at the frozen scene, realizing that now she was the one who was outnumbered. Seeing how she had also taken a beating, the shameless girl found herself backing away from the enemy before breaking into a run. "The day of reckoning is coming!" she screamed. "Enjoy your last days, because when the Devil Fist comes for you, you'll all be dead!"

"We'll be waiting to kick his ass!" Thor shouted after her.

Lee thrust his fists into the air. "That's right, no one can extinguish the Power of Youth!"

The group watched her retreating form until she was completely out of sight before finally taking a moment to relax. Lee dropped into a sitting position on the ground and began inspecting his wounds, but Thor refused to show such weakness and remained standing. Nijima admired the chaos left behind by the battle, taking a moment to absorb all of the calamity, before assessing the situation for himself. It had been an interesting encounter if nothing else, although he was disappointed that they hadn't been able to bring the battle to a definitive conclusion.

Still grasping he alliance's banner, Matsui ran up from behind and saluted. "General Nijima sir, I am proud to inform you that we were able to successfully drive away enemy forces!"

While he looked a bit unsure before, the alien seemed suddenly excited. "This is great! No… This is better than great!" he began maddeningly.

"Hey Spock, what're you going on about now?" Thor yelled with a note of annoyance.

"Don't you fools understand? We actually made Team Hebi retreat this time. This means that those moronic thugs will finally see how scary the Shinpaku Alliance can really be! Soon all enemies will see how powerful the hammer of justice really is!"

Ignoring the alien leader's maniacal cackling, Lee stepped up to the group and bowed his head respectfully, immediately garnering their attention. "Thank you for coming to help me… I'm not certain victory would have been achieved had I been forced to fight them all alone."

"Think nothing of it my boy, we of the Shinpaku Alliance stick together through thick and thin!"

"You guys really consider me a member of your group?"

Nijima waved his hand dismissively. "So long as we're allied together as those ruffians, you can count on us to have your back!"

"It's the least we could do after your friends saved my pal, Sieg!" the sumo wrestler slapped the smaller man on the back, causing him to yelp. "Oops, sorry about that."

Lee cringed in pain, but smiled nonetheless. "It's fine… Even in this state, I'm a lot more durable than you might think."

"That's the right spirit! You've got a lot of guts, and that's not something I'd say to just anyone."

"So do you, taking all of her attacks head-on like a real man! I never imagined someone could use sumo training like that!"

"Exactly right! My dream is to make the world see that sumo is more than a sport… It's a martial art that great men like me have dedicated their lives to!"

The green-clad fighter flashed him a thumbs-up. "That is a most wonderful dream!" The two men shared a jovial laugh before he felt the weight of his injuries return.

Nijima shook his head before signaling to his grunts to help the two fighters. "Easy there fellas, there's no need to be so hasty! Our number one priority right now is getting you two someplace safe… Can't have my loyal subordinates getting picked off after a fight, can I?

"I can walk by myself!" Lee began to shake off his helpers, but his stumbling told them otherwise. Quietly accepting their help, he allowed the Shinpaku grunts to support him like a pair of crutches and hobbled along with them. "So, where exactly are you taking me?"

"Back to HQ, of course!" the alien answered casually. "We'll patch you boys up there and then you'll be free to on home to Konoha. I'll send along an escort so Team Hebi's thugs won't think of attacking you along the way."

"Although I never asked for it, you still came to my aid. Thank you again for the assistance… If there is anything that I can do to repay this favor, feel free to ask."

The alien laughed inwardly at the thought of being handed a blank check, but quickly suppressed his evil ways in favor of a more benevolent response. "We'll worry about that later… Just don't forget to tell your buddies who saved your life!"

"Will do!" Lee replied with a friendly salute.

Meanwhile…

It had been less than an hour since his fight with Kiba, and Naruto was currently sitting in Tsunade's clinic receiving his treatment. He was beginning to wonder what Shikamaru and the others would say once they found out what had happened, although his masters seemed oddly proud that he stood his ground. They had only recently shared what was going on with the masters of the Konoha, but their superiors only wished them good luck and seemed relatively accepting of the battle now waging between the disciples and Team Hebi. She just finished bandaging his arm, giving the cloth a nice yank.

"Ouch, be careful granny Tsunade! Are you trying to rip off my arm?" he wined.

"Shut up, you big baby! I just finished!" The busty woman placed her hands on her hips. "Not saying we're not relieved, but I'm actually surprised you managed to get out of that scrap with only a few minor injuries."

Naruto squinted with a stubborn grimace. "Oh yeah, and why is that?"

"You said his name was Kiba Inuzuka, right?" she asked, earning a nod from her patient. "That boy you fought is quite famous in the underground arena. People know him as an undefeated contender with the potential to become a master. I've seen him fight before, and admittedly, he's quite amazing for a disciple."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence. With a master like you, I might as well ask the enemy for their opinions." He folded his arms and shook his head like a child before finally grasping what she had said. "Wait a minute, how do you know so much about this freakazoid?"

"Believe it or not, the Inuzuka Family is actually pretty widely known among the world's martial artists for specializing in a style that most people wouldn't use for combat." She began with a scholarly expression. "Not to mention I've personally attend several martial arts competitions, and witnessed the boy's skills firsthand."

"Don't let her sugarcoat it like that! The reason she knows all this stuff is because Tsunade wastes all of her money gambling at the underground arena." a male voice replied, Looking up, they found Jiraiya leaning in the doorway with a cheerful expression.

"Really now? Maybe I should go and tell everyone how you spend you free time."

The white-haired master ignored her scathing comments and addressed his student. "So Naruto, it looks like you won your first major fight today. Welcome to the real world of martial arts!"

His disciple glanced up with a bewildered look. "Just how much of this did you hear, old man?"

"I've been standing here the entire time… You really need to work on your observational skills, kiddo." He replied dismissively, earning a frown from the blonde teen. "In the past you and the others clashed with garden-variety thugs, but after today it seems like you can handle yourself just fine against real martial artists."

"But we fight with each other all the time?" the boy replied with a look of boredom.

Tsunade shook her head. "Sparring is preparation for real battles, but when fighting against friends, you don't typically aim to kill, nor do does the opponent. It's completely different when you're facing an enemy who're more than willing to tear you apart."

"You guys seem pretty happy about this… Don't most old timers get angry when their kids get into fights?"

"Call us what you want, but we also happen to be your masters. Seeing a disciple emerge from a fight as the victor means the teacher been doing his or her job properly." Jiraiya explained with a more serious expression. "It is our responsibility to show you the way as a student of Konoha. That is what it means to be a mentor."

Naruto took a moment to take it all in before realizing what he was saying. "Wait a minute… So basically you're giving yourself a pat on the back because I won."

"That's right!" the white-haired man clapped a hand on his shoulder and laughed merrily.

"Geez, I should have known." He sighed in embarrassment.

Tsunade smacked her old friend upside the head before looking down at her patient. "Don't listen to this idiot! The credit for the victory goes to the disciple no matter what role the master played in his or her training. While it's wise not to get overconfident in one's abilities, you shouldn't sell yourself short either."

Naruto smiled at his teachers. "Thanks for the advice, I'll have to remember that next time I get into a fight!"

The white-haired man nodded in agreement before remembering the original reason he had showed up to begin with. "Speaking of fights, I have an important announcement to make that directly concerns us!" the boy leaned forward to listen. "Yesterday I visited Kensei Ma at Ryozanpaku, and we get into a little debate of sorts."

"About something lecherous, no doubt." Tsunade commented with an irritated look.

"C'mon Tsunade… Do you only think of me as some perverted old geezer with a thing for martial arts?"

"Do you really need to ask me that?" She resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Her old friend exhaled deeply, making a note to get her back later. "As it turns out, Kensei doesn't know whether to believe that our top disciple has what it takes to be the heir of Konoha. At the same time, I began to wonder if that wimpy looking kid they put their faith in is any better, and it all snowballed from there into a heated argument over which of our disciples was the stronger. To make a long story short, we decided to hold a small contest to see which one of our disciples is better suited to carry the legacy of a powerful dojo."

By now Tsunade looked positively livid. "I can't believe you issued a challenge without permission from the elder. You do realize that Master Hiruzen has long buried his rivalry with Hayato Furinji after being defeated several times himself. He won't be happy when he finds out that you dug up that old issue by pitting Naruto against Ryozanpaku."

"Old man Sarutobi knows the elder of Ryozanpaku?" the blonde boy asked.

"They encountered each other a several times while traveling." She explained, looking less than happy to retell her master's story. "Every time they met, those two would spend days fighting in the mountains to determine which was the stronger. Unfortunately for our teacher, he was up against the Invincible Superman. Not once was he ever able to win…"

"It doesn't bug him so much anymore, but the old man still doesn't like to be reminded of those losses."

"Which is exactly why I don't think it be wise we let him in on this half-cocked challenge." She added tactfully.

"Relax, the old man doesn't need to find out." Jiraiya raised his hand defensively. "Besides, this is just a small sparring match between two disciples. Don't make more of it than it is. This has nothing to do with the those two geezers."

Naruto sat there with a sour expression, clearly bothered by the fact that they were acting as though he wasn't in the room. "This is my fight! Don't I even get a say in this?"

The two adults heard him, but it was Jiraiya who spoke first. "I suppose I should apologize for getting you involved in our business." He ran a hand through his hair with a slightly embarrassed expression. "Although, I remember you spend a lot of time complaining about never getting a real challenge. What better way to test your meddle than to thrash… I-I mean… compete against the number one disciple of a powerful dojo?"

Naruto considered the idea for a moment before smiling. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense." His grin widened as he remembered his proposition from their first day of school at Kouryou High. "Besides, Kenichi shot me down when asked him to spar a while back. Now that his masters are forcing him, he doesn't have a choice but to fight me!"

"It looks like there's no point in trying to stop you guys." Tsunade shrugged off the scenario with a deep sigh. "Still, I hope the old man doesn't find out. Like any master of his generation, he takes official challenges like this very seriously."

"You don't have to worry about being humiliated, because I intend to win this fight!".

"Did somebody mention a fight?" a fourth voice permeated the room from above, sounding muffled as if it was speaking through a pillow. Moments later, a bushy-browed master jumped in through the nearby window, his grin wide with excitement.

"So much for keeping it a secret." Tsunade replied with bewildered expression.

"What are you doing here, Master Guy?" the lone disciple of the group stood up to greet his karate master.

"Sorry for interrupting like that… I was just outside washing the windows while practicing my stealth technique, and just happened to overhear you guys talking. It was so interesting, I was hard-pressed to stop listening, although for that I am truly sorry."

Jiraiya shook his head. "Fine, just promise not to tell anyone else about this. Kensei and I set up this challenge on a spur of the moment, and we never intended on causing a stir."

"No problem… My lips are sealed!" Guy shouted with a zipping gesture, causing the others to sweat-drop in response to his antics. He noticed this, but quickly decided to make his intentions clear. "I promise not to say anything to the others so long as you let me come along to watch the big throw down. Do we have a deal?"

"I honestly don't care either way, so long as you don't make a big deal out of it." The older man replied.

The bushy-browed master threw his hands in the air and did a goofy pose. "Don't make light of it. This is our one big chance to stick it to those upstarts at Ryozanpaku!"

"Yeah, let's show them the Power of Youth!" Naruto quoted the karate master before copying his gesture.

Guy wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulder, pulling him into a one-armed hug. "You got that right… With that kind of attitude, there's no way you can lose!"

Tsunade turned away from the spectacle before shifting her attention to her oldest friend. "See what you started now? So much for having a peaceful afternoon…"

"Life's more exciting that way!" Jiraiya answered before breaking out into laughter along with the others.

Meanwhile…

In an abandoned building on the other side of town, a group of woman trained diligently in order to master their fighting abilities. The room where they practiced resembled a gym, and contained several exercise mats, punching bags hanging in the corners, and a set of weights strewn about the floor. Although the hideout's dingy lights weren't always reliable, the series of windows lining the upper half of the room allowed the sunlight to steam in from the outside.

As martial artists, they worked to stay in tip-top condition and were always ready for a fight. Each girl dressed in a uniform consisting of a short skirt in different colors, white boots, and long-sleeved top with matching stripes running down the front. A small winged crest adorned the left breast of each of their shirts, indicating their status as a team. Known collectively as the Valkyries, the girls were all armed fighters, each specializing in a different type of weapon.

As they sparred, their leader stood off to the side practicing alone. She was a tall dark-skinned woman with blue eyes and short brown hair. Her figure was noticeably curvaceous and busty, yet extremely well toned with defined muscles, although not to the extent that it detracted from her feminine charm. She wore a tight blue tank top revealing her cleavage and form-fitting spandex pants in a similar color. A long-sleeved leather jacket hung from her shoulders, open in the front to show off her physique while completely covering her arms.

One of her subordinates ran up to her, gently wiping sweat from her brow. "It's getting late, Lady Freya. Maybe we should head back to the dojo soon."

"My grandfather is probably expecting us, so it wouldn't be proper to keep him waiting." She replied, before dropping the dumbbell she was lifting onto the floor. She glanced up at the others and nodded. "All right, it's time for us to head back!"

As the group began to gather up their things in gym bags, they were interrupted by the sound of a door being smashed off of its hinges. Freya glanced up with a look of mild annoyance as two figures stepped into the room, causing several of her subordinates to react. The Valkyries drew their weapons and advanced on the duo, but their leader raised a hand to stop them from running into a losing battle. She stepped past them and squared up to her visitors with a stoic expression, looking upon them with distaste.

The first man she recognized as Loki, a former colleague within Ragnarok. The second person was a teenager of normal height wearing a short-sleeved gray shirt with a high collar and a black cloak. He had midnight black hair, cold black eyes, and a pale complexion. Although Freya was unfamiliar with the other intruder, he exuded a powerful aura that caused her to subconsciously tighten her grip on her staff.

"Knock knock, Freya!" the goggled man replied with a snicker.

"These are my private training ground, and neither of you are welcome here." She stated it as a fact, her severe gaze unwavering.

"Been a while, huh?" Loki greeted with a sinister smile. "I figured you would have been a little less hostile towards me, especially since we used to be such good comrades."

"Funny how I never once considered you anything more than scheming vermin who clawed his way through the ranks of Ragnarok. Not to mention you even betrayed our leader and tried to steal the power for yourself. As far as I'm concerned, dirty slime like you is worth less than yesterday's garbage."

The trickster stepped forward with a hostile expression, causing the girls to raise their weapons. "You bitch!"

"That's enough…" the dark haired man held out an arm, causing him to freeze up. His presence had pacified even the battle hungry Valkyries, who looked even more hesitant to jump in. The newcomer stepped forward and addressed their leader. "I'm here to see Kaname Kugatachi, formerly known as Freya of the Eight Deadly Fists."

She nodded compliantly. "That would be me… I don't believe I've ever met you before, so perhaps you would care to explain what would a complete stranger want with me?"

The unfamiliar visitor relaxed his aura and began walking forward. "People refer to me as the Devil Fist, and I am the supreme leader of Team Hebi. Perhaps you've heard of us?"

Freya thought for a moment, her memories going back to something Kisara had said during one of their more recent training sessions. "I have, and it's nothing good." She exhaled with a note of irritation before hardening her gaze. "Cut the crap… I have no quarrel with you, so what do you want with me?"

"We heard you've been unattached since Odin got his butt kicked by Kenichi Shirahama." although she appeared indifferent, Loki continued. "When Team Hebi came around recruiting, I took a chance and joined up along with my former subordinates and was eventually promoted to be one of the commanders."

"That has nothing to do with me…" She stated coldly.

"But it could!" the goggled man persisted. "Since you've been stuck here with nothing to do for the past few months, I figured it would only be fair to extend the opportunity to you as well. Your skill with a staff is so legendary that even the boss approves."

Sasuke spoke up again. "Team Hebi has been searching for powerful martial artists to fill our ranks. If you accept my offer, I can promise you a seat of power among the elites."

"The stench of the Killing Fist burns without you like a noxious fume… Like my grandfather before me, I will never serve someone so engrossed in the art of murder." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she eyed them both. "If I were to judge by the company you keep, it would simply give me more reason to deny you."

Loki removed his hands from his pockets and scowled. "Are you suggesting something?"

"Must you really ask such stupid questions?" Freya remained un-intimidated as she pointed the end of her staff at the intruders. Seeing their leader standing up to them, the Valkyries raised their own weapons in defiance. "I suggest you leave, or we may have to force the issue."

"Go ahead and try… As if your pathetic little girls could possibly frighten us!"

"That's fine, Loki." Sasuke turned his back to the women and began walking towards the door.

The karate trickster followed after his superior with a nasty grimace before leaning over his shoulder. "You're not seriously gonna let her talk to us like that, are you!?"

Sasuke ignored his minion's complaining and addressed the enemy. "I admire your spirit, Freya. It's a pity how you seem content in wasting it in the defense of a broken philosophy." He ushered Loki away before glancing over his shoulder. "You are free to do as you wish, but I can't make any promises concerning the safety of you and your subordinates."

"Leave us." Freya responded coldly, prompting her unwanted guests to excuse themselves. She remained quiet for a minute or so while considering the prospect of fighting an entire gang with only her Valkyries. "Damn that bastard." She muttered angrily.

One of the girls standing behind her approached with a timid expression. "Those jerks don't deserve to just walk away after making demands of you like that? Should we go after them, Lady Freya?"

The staff-user shook her head as she split her staff in half and stowed the pieces away. "We lack the capacity… I can tell from that suffocating killing intent that the man with Loki was a dangerous one. It's highly possible he's even more powerful than Odin."

"We can't just let them walk away without doing anything." The other girl retaliated. "You heard the way they threatened us… The way they threatened you? No one talks to the Valkyries that way and gets away with it!"

Freya cracked her shoulder into place before turning her back to her subordinates. "Do whatever you want, but the only thing to be gained by fighting a monster like him is death."

Note to Readers: Another action chapter for the most part, although a couple of plot points were set up towards the end. I'm hoping to focus on more character development next time, not to mention the fact that Team Hebi's top fighters haven't even got any action yet, and I've yet to reveal the Tenth Demon. Sorry if there's some typos or errors in spelling and grammar, but I usually write chapters for my stories late at night.

Poor Lee just can't get a break in this story… Last time he was self-handicapped, and this time he was forced to fight someone who's techniques made it harder from him to go all-out. Next time, we'll see some more interactions between the Shinpaku Alliance and the Konoha Disciples. As you guys can see, their paths are beginning to intertwine more often. Not to mention Kiba's intentions are still fuzzy at best.

Support's still at an all-time low right now… If you have any suggestions for the story, please share. Also feel free to comment if you liked something, want to see something happen, or have any predications as to what will happen next! Even if you just wanna drop a compliment, that would be greatly appreciated. Don't forget to **REVIEW**! It motivates me to keep working on this story, and I'm pretty sure there are readers who are still enjoying it!


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Bonds of Fellowship**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

The dog-like fighter had been enduring a special beating for the last five minutes, courtesy of his former teammates within Team Hebi. Several of the gang's demons were tasked with punishing him for his treason, although their leader saw it as beneath him to dirty his own hands. Guren leapt into the air and slammed her knees into his back as Loki delivered a series of quick chop to traitor's mid-section, causing him to double over in pain. Kiba vomited a mouthful of blood on Suigetsu's clothing, prompting the violent swordsman to smash him in the jaw with the hilt of his blade.

He swayed slightly from the blow, refusing to be drive to the ground as they beat him to death on his feet. "Is that all, you got? Pathetic! My mother can hit about a million times harder than that?" he screamed, knowing full well that it was the truth.

"You got a big mouth, fang-face!" Loki plunged both hands into the other man's ribs, paralyzing him as the end of a wooded sword cracked him upside the head.

Jugo came in from behind, pulling their victim into a headlock and pile-driving him face first into the hard floor of the punishment arena. Kiba screamed in agony as his attacker plunged a foot into his back, exerting all of his weight into the stomp like a man stomping an ant.

"Impressive that you're able to stay conscious after that. It's almost a shame to destroy a fighter like you." The giant replied with a sullen expression.

"That's enough, Jugo…" Sasuke raised his hand, causing the giant to step away from their prey. The others followed his order and moved away, allowing their leader to take a good look at the beaten dog. "So Kiba, would you care to explain this nonsense about quitting Team Hebi?"

Kiba tried to raise his head, but was barely able to keep his eyes open. "You… You said I had to join this team… if you could beat me." He muttered, a smile coming to his face. "No one said I wouldn't quit if the people in charge were a bunch of pricks!"

Suigetsu seized the defeat man by the collar of his shirt before wrenching him into a stand position. "I'd choose my last words better if I were you, asshole!" he shook him violently. "Got any other smart remarks?"

"Your breath stinks…" he hissed before spitting in the swordsman's face.

"Got to Hell!" the weapon-user dropped him back onto the floor and prepared to smash his head in, only for a large hand to grab the end of his sword. "What do you think your doing' Jugo?"

"His life belongs to the Devil Fist. Judgment is not yours to render." The fiery-haired brawler rationalized the situation calmly, his eyes locking with the irascible killer. "I suggest you lower your weapon, unless you would prefer to fight me instead."

Suigetsu snarled with irritation before glancing up at his superior. "So, what do you think we should do to this traitor now that he's easy pickings?"

Sasuke's expression remained impassive, almost as if the ordeal bored him. "I haven't yet decided."

"I say we present his head to the Great Serpent God as a gift and be done with it." Guren argued.

"Trash like him… He's hardly worth the attention of the master." Neji commented from his seat above the arena.

She sneered at the sound of his voice. "Anyone who defies our leader's will, deserves nothing less than death. Are you still holding onto the misguided beliefs of the Saving Fist preached by your family?"

"Don't insult me… A failed experiment like you doesn't even deserve to be called a true martial artist." he muttered before shifting his pale gaze away from the unruly woman.

The Hyuga Clansmen folded his arms and exhaled. He had personally elicited not to participate in the punishment game, finding it to be a barbaric display with no true purpose besides intimidation. Although he had defected from his family's legacy long ago, there were some aspects of his original teachings that he would never discard regardless of where his loyalty was.

"I shall not be spoken to in such a manner by filth such as you." He added snarkily.

"You speak so boldly while out of my reach. Why not come down here and say that to my face!"

Neji's eyes flashed dangerously. "Continue to test my patience, and I might consider it!"

"This is exactly why I couldn't stand being around you guys anymore." Kiba shouted, causing both of them to forget their own disagreements. "You people aren't real fighters, just a bunch of thugs trying to prove yourselves by killing off the real martial artists!"

Sasuke sat back down, his face displaying signs of amusement. "You misguided fool… We are the real martial artists. Those who do not crush the weak underfoot are only walking an empty path. To truly win, the inferior ones must die by the hands of the strong!"

The dog-like fighter managed a weak smile. "Bullshit!" he called out, causing the others to shift uneasily. "When I fought the Number One Disciple of Konoha, he respected me as an opponent even though I was trying to take his life!"

"I am well-acquainted with that idiot from my early days as a member of Konoha, and he is by far the lowest of the low… A true fool among fools."

"That doesn't mean he lacked heart, the same thing you seem to be missing!"

The Devil Fist exhaled with a hint of irritation, but remained stoic nonetheless. "That dobe was always too idealistic for his own good. For all of his empty bravado, he could never understand the true world of martial arts the way I do."

Despite his inability to move his limbs, the feral fighter remained defiant till the end. "Naruto Uzumaki spared my life when he could have killed me, and helped me realize that I was doing something that I really didn't want to do! He has my respect…"

"I see there's no convincing you, then." Sasuke shook his head disapprovingly, doing his best to hide his deep-seated annoyance.

"Damn right! You surprised that a man you considered worthless managed to make me see the truth about you… Maybe it hurts your ego knowing that the actions of an idiot made more sense than the every piece of crap that comes from your mouth!"

Rather than lash out, the Devil Fist held his temper in check. "That idiot always did have a way of corrupting the minds of others with his nonsense." His expression remained the same, but his eyes revealed a sense of inner fury. "It was one of the things I hated most about him!"

"Back to business… All your resignation got you was a world of pain!" Suigetsu kicked him in the ribs, eliciting a loud scream from him. "Allow me to deepen it…"

Loki watched with a sinister smile before addressing their victim. "I see shark-boy enjoys stating the obvious, but that's really beside the point. Personally, I'm more curious as to why you bothered coming back here. What kind of traitor announces his intentions?"

Kiba choked back to the pain, but it took a moment for him to find his voice amidst the escalating agony. "I'm not immoral enough to just run away when things get rough. Leaving without saying anything would have been the coward's way out. I'm sure you can vouch!"

"Tell me, was it really worth it?" the former Ragnarok member quipped before kicking the other man several more times.

The other Demons watched the torture continue with mixed reactions, some with glee, others with indifference, but the barrage only lasted five more seconds before it was interrupted again. Sasuke jumped down and seized Loki by the wrist, repealing him with a single motion of his opposite hand. Although he hadn't harmed the ex Fourth Fist, the display was enough to scare him into submission without argument.

"He's lost consciousness." Sasuke explained, causing the others to back off. He gestured to one of the only figure still wearing his hood. "Since you decided to sit out off the punishment games, I will make him your responsibility."

The man stepped into the light, revealing that he was wearing a high-collared jacket under his cloak that concealed most of the lower half of his face. He was wearing dark shoes and gloves, creating an air of mystery around himself due to most of his body being covered. His dark hair and pale skin was hidden by the presence of the trademark hood worn by all the demons, but the dingy light from the room's lone source bounced off of his dark sunglasses.

"Take him to the prison hold… Get him out of my sight." Sasuke walked past him without so much as a backwards glance. "You will not feed him, you will not tend to his wounds, and you will not speak to him. Am I clear, Shino?"

"Of course…" the other man replied with a subtle bow before hoisting the boy up and carrying him away through one of the arena's entry tunnels.

Everyone remained silent until his footsteps died away, but it was Guren who broke the silence. "Are you just going to lock him up like Haku, or is there something more to this?"

Sasuke shook his head. "We can handle the arrangements later, but for now I require your services for a much more important mission." The others tensed up, but he continued. "I would like you to find Kimimaro, I require only the best fighters to accompany me for this."

Suigetsu raised an eyebrow. "Wait… The high and mighty Devil Fist is actually leaving the hideout? Must be something big, then!"

"Care to tell us what's going on?" Loki pondered out loud.

"You needn't worry about that quite yet. Just know that I intend to make this entertaining for everyone involved." The Uchiha replied, his lack of further dialogue making it clear that the conversation was over for now.

Meanwhile…

Jiraiya walked the streets with his disciple in tow, the duo closely followed by Guy. There was an awkward amount of distance between them, because he was too embarrassed to be seen in public with him. Naruto was always easy-going when it came time to this sort of thing, but the old master had warned their unwanted guest to walk at least ten feet behind them at all times until they reached their destination. All of this aside, there was a certain level of tension in the air that even a casual observer could probably detect.

Bursting with excitement, the blonde boy finally found himself unable to contain it. "Oh yeah, I can't wait to get to Ryozanpaku to do some serious butt-kicking!" Naruto shouted, throwing his fists into the air.

"Relax before you hurt yourself… We don't wanna make a bad impression during this visit." His teacher replied with hints of amusement.

"So, what's up with you all of a sudden? Huh, pervy-sensei?" the teenager pestered his master.

"This might be a sparring match rather than an official challenge, but you can't go around acting like a doofus before the match." He replied in an unusually serious tone. "Keep in mind that you're not only fighting for fun, but also for the honor of Konoha itself."

Naruto pursed his lips and squinted his eyes like a child. "What do you mean by that? This is just a sparring match… It's not like we're challenging their dojo to take the sign."

Jiraiya scoffed at the idea. "To do that, you'd have to defeat Hayato Furinji in a one-on-one battle. That's a feat that even Hashirama Senju would have struggled to accomplish."

"Wasn't he the martial artist who founded Konoha? He was considered the most powerful man in the world until his death back when Master Hiruzen was still a kid. There's no way the elder of Ryozanpaku could possibly be stronger than him. We're talking about the man who mastered all martial arts and united some of the world's most powerful fighters under his leadership!"

"The Invincible Superman did the same thing in modern times." His master replied a note of respect. "While we exist harmoniously alongside the fighters of Ryozanpaku, there's been a certain sense of rivalry between both dojos since the latter was built in the same city as Konoha."

His disciple frowned as he placed his hands behind his head. "Big deal, so what you old timers don't get along? That's got nothing to do with my match today!"

As he said this, Guy jumped from a rooftop, plopping down beside them with an excited grin. "I remember when I was that clueless!"

"Who said you weren't?" Jiraiya muttered, resisting the urge to roll his eyes as the eccentric master did one of his signature poses. The green spandex worn by his colleague attracted a lot of unwanted attention, and yet he wasn't even aware of the stares that bystanders were giving them.

"What're you talking about, Master Guy?" Naruto questioned his karate teacher.

"When two students from different dojos engage in battle, their respective fighting abilities reflect not only the strength of the disciple, but also the teaching skills of the master." The bushy-browed teacher explained, earning a nod from their charge.

The older master noticed the blonde boy's perpetually clueless expression and decided to simplify things for him. "Let me put it this way… Basically if you lose a match against a person who represents a rival institution, it makes the rest of us look like crap in comparison because we were the ones responsible for teaching you."

"Oh yeah, I guess that makes sense!" Naruto replied with a stiff nod, pretending he hadn't just struggled to understand it.

"That's our disciple, quick-witted and always ready for a fight!" Guy slapped his shoulder enthusiastically before grinning widely, his thumb shooting towards the sky.

They continued walking for several more blocks before finally coming to a halt beside a large wooden gate. Having used the back entrance to Akisame's clinic during their previous visit to Ryozanpaku, the blonde disciple had never actually seen the main actual dojo before. Konoha's gates were considerably smaller in comparison, but the doors were marked with intricate carvings and symbols. The entry to this dojo was much more simplistic, consisting of two plain wooden doors and a high white walls with hand-finished tiling. He paused, taking a moment to stare at the gates.

"So, do we just walk inside or do we have to knock first?" he added jokingly. Naruto pressed his hand against the closed gate, but the barricade did not budge. "The door must be stuck…"

"The doors to this place are extremely heavy, and pretty much unmovable for most ordinary people." Jiraiya stated with an amused expression. "If you're a real martial artist, you should have no trouble passing through the front door."

"Don't be afraid to put a little muscle into it!" Guy encouraged with an eager expression.

Naruto closed his eyes for a second before pressing his palms into the barricade, causing it to slide open. Even though the act took minimal power, it was surprising that he had to place effort in at all. He had heard that the masters of Ryozanpaku were all hardcore fighters who practiced constantly to keep their skills sharp, but it would seem that they had found ways of weaving this into their everyday lives. If even opening the door part of this, he quietly wondered what kind of training they subjected disciples too.

The blonde-haired disciple looked around the dojo's grounds, silently admiring their attention to detail from the handmade stone paths to the neatly trimmed Bonsai trees growing near the wall. Although it didn't seem to encompass as much land as Konoha, the buildings had a simple charm to them while the ground seemed very nicely kept. Somewhere in the distance he could make out several wooden karate posts where they practiced their deathblows, and a more official looking building, quickly recognizing the latter as the clinic where they had taken Haku for emergency medical treatment.

Naruto placed his hands on his hips and grinned widely. "It looks pretty nice, but our place is still ten times better!"

Before he could say anything else, a woman carrying a sword seeming appeared out of nowhere, landing directly in front of him. The blonde disciple cried out in shock as she unsheathed her katana, thrusting it outwards to that the tip was only inches from his face. She wore a revealing ninja outfit and had her long dark hair done up in a high ponytail, her lightning-shaped eyebrows slanted in a peculiar manner. He couldn't help but notice she was quite beautiful, but at the same time the sight of the blade terrified him, being positioned too closely for comfort.

"Intruders…" She muttered in an emotionless monotone, her face betraying the signs of a cold-blooded killer. "What do you… want here?"

"What the Hell, we're not intruders… We were invited her by that perverted Chinese dude!" He choked out, his eyes wide with fear.

Jiraiya swept past him looking as though he hadn't a care in the world. "Hello Shigure, you're looking as lovely as ever. Would you care to put down the katana before my disciple wets his pants? The poor kid looks like he's about to faint."

The weapons master glanced over, blinking twice as she recognized the white-haired man. "Konoha's… pervert…" she acknowledged, her tone sounding even less welcoming than before if that was even possible.

Despite her reaction, the old master laughed and gently rubbed the back of his head. "Hey, calm down. It's not like I'm the one who takes all those pictures of you. You Ryozanpaku masters live with the real pervert, all I am is an innocent appreciator of the female body."

"You're about as innocent as a rattlesnake." Naruto muttered, temporarily forgetting about the sword positioned less than a foot from his nose.

Guy stepped behind their disciple and placed a hand over his mouth, grinning widely at their unhappy greeter. "There's no need for violence, we're just some guests here to see Kensei Ma. You wouldn't happen to know where he is right now, would you?"

"Follow… me…" Shigure slowly sheathed her weapon, her body twirling around as she began to walk back towards the main building.

As the trio proceeded, Naruto suddenly realized how shallow his breathing had been. He had no idea who this woman was, but she looked younger than any of his masters and possessed an odd presence that he couldn't describe with words. He was surprised that his masters had remained so calm during the encounter, although the brief exchange from before lead him to believe that they were already acquainted with her. With a nudge from his masters, he followed after their guide.

"Sheesh, what a strange woman." he commented with a hollow expression, a slightly perverted smile lighting his features seconds later. "Although I will admit, she's gotta be one of the best-looking women I've ever seen! I had no idea Ryozanpaku specialized in ninja foldouts!"

"Don't get any funny ideas, cause you might not live to regret it." Guy replied with a cheerful yet slightly unnerved expression, a small cringe running down his spine at the thought.

Jiraiya noticed the bewildered expression on their disciple's face and decided to elaborate. "That woman is Shigure Kosaka, one of the most skilled weapons masters in the country. You'll be hard pressed to find a more dangerous master when it comes time to armed combat."

"She looks even younger than Master Anko… You're saying that woman is a master, too?"

The bushy-browed teacher leaned in closer, although he knew she would probably hear them anyway. "Shigure was a weapons prodigy in her youth, and possessed the kind of fighting talent you only see in one out of millions of people. Her rapid progression was comparable to even the most gifted martial artists like Kakashi and your father, Minato."

Naruto's eyes widened with a newfound respect. "I had no idea Ryozanpaku was that strong!"

"Try keeping that I mind when you get around to sparring with their disciple." The older master advised him, taking a moment to exhale wearily. "He may not look like much, but I wouldn't be so keen on underestimating anyone who managed to survive training sessions with these people."

Before they could say anything else, another familiar figure dropped down from the ceiling, landing a few feet ahead of them. Kensei Ma tipped his hat and smirked with a competitive glint in his eyes. "Come now old friend, you make us sound like bloodthirsty sadists."

"So, you're actually denying it?" Jiraiya replied before returning the expression.

"I didn't quite say that either." The Kenpo Master stroked his mustache gently before gesturing them into the next room. He gestured to the female weapons master. "Show them in, will you?"

Shigure pushed open a door, revealing a room where several people were already gathered and waiting. Counting the two that had just arrived, all of Ryozanpaku's masters were present, with the exception of Hayato Furinji who often left on long journeys at inopportune times. Akisame Koetsuji sat at the long table at the end of the room playing a board game with Apachai, while Sakaki was busy tending to their disciple. Kenichi was training in the opposite corner of the room sparring with Miu, testing out some new moves while she effortlessly dodged his attacks.

"You're putting too much energy into your strikes… You have to concentrate in using your power without tiring yourself out." Sakaki took a long sip of his beer, looking bored with the proceedings. "Put too much energy in and you start to slow down. Leave too many openings in your stance, and…"

Before he could even finish, Miu demonstrated the principle by smashing her palm past his arm and smashing Kenichi in the chest. Although the boy was clearly no slouch when it came time to taking a beating, the blow caused him to stagger backwards, allowing his opponent to finish him off with a flying kick. Ryozanpaku's top disciple smashed headfirst through the nearest wall, his arms and legs flailing around helplessly for a moment or two. Heaving an irritated sight, Sakaki seized his student by the ankle and pulled him out, dropping him onto the floor moments later.

"Holy crap, what did you do to him?" Naruto walked over to inspect his dazed form, waving a hand above his eyes with concern. He wasn't entirely certain what was going on, but the boy's eyes were oddly glazed over, and his tongue was hanging out at an odd angle.

Miu smiled back at her visitors. "Oh, hey Naruto! What brings you back here all of a sudden? I see you brought two of your masters."

"Never mind all that static, what did you do to Shirahama?"

"I only hit him because he exposed his weak point… He should be all right in a couple of minutes." She placed a finger to her chin and sweat dropped slightly as she saw his face. "At least, I hope so…"

Jiraiya spared a glance at Ryozanpaku's disciple before prodded him with the tip of his foot. "Sheesh, this is the kid you were talking about yesterday? You guys trying to kill him, or is passing out on the floor part of his training?"

"He may not have talent, but this boy can take a punch." Kensei quipped as he reached into his pocket, withdrawing a handful of photos only moments later. He waved them in front of the boy's face, causing him to spurt blood out of his nose before bolting back into a sitting position.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Kenichi shouted, his hand instinctively reaching for the pictures, only for his teacher to yank them out of his reach.

"We have some important company, no need to act like that in front of our guests." the Kenpo Master warned, wagging his finger back and worth like a parent to a child.

Miu tried to lean in over the Chinese man's shoulder, but he quickly tucked the photos away, only further arousing her suspicions. "Just what were you guys looking at?" she demanded with her hands on her hips.

"Never mind that now, you should really be more concerned with showing our guests in."

"Oh, you're right! Sorry about that, guys…" she muttered with a quick bow before running from the room to fetch some tea and snacks, returning only a few seconds later carrying a tray. She set down the refreshments on the table in the center of the room, gesturing for their visitors to sit.

Naruto watched his teachers take their places before addressing the blonde beauty. "Wow, you're a fast one, aren't you?"

"Hardly, we already had a pot of tea ready, and I got those snake cakes from Apachai's plate." She glanced at the Muay Thai master, who had been too busy to notice his missing food. "It's not often we get visitors here, so it was really my pleasure."

Jiraiya took a bite of one of the small cakes on the plate and nodded with a smile. "Knowing the master of Ryozanpaku, I'm going to assume you made these desserts."

"Yup, that was me! I do almost all of the cooking around here." she piped up with a bright smile.

"A beautiful young lady, a brilliant martial artist, and a world-class homemaker if I do say so myself." He replied cheerfully, snickering as his eyes gravitated towards the rival masters. "Of course, living with these guys would force anyone to learn how to cook."

Sakaki plopped down across from the older master, slamming a bottle of sake onto the tabletop as he did so. "Are you saying we don't know how to take care of ourselves, old man?"

"I'll have you know, I'm actually quite an experienced chef." Kensei added with a crafty grin. "In any case, I don't see why you have the right to criticize us. Especially considering you also lack even the most rudimentary skills in the culinary arts. I don't believe stewing up twigs and rocks while training in the mountains really counts as gourmet."

"You got me there. Although old man Sarutobi's not a bad cook, and the same goes for Kurenai and our dojo's female students. Of course the rest of us are so bad at it, that everything sort of balances out in the end."

Sakaki took a swig directly from the bottle before using the back of his hand to wipe his mouth. "If you two wanna talk nonsense or exchange your porn, take it somewhere else."

Akisame set down his winning game piece before nodding in agreement. "I believe Konoha's masters brought their top student here to have a match with our own disciple." He folded his arms and exchanged glances with the white-haired man. "That boy was originally your student, if I'm not mistaken…"

"Exactly right." Jiraiya replied with a challenging smile. "He was only recent granted the right to train in all of our disciplines, so the majority of his fighting skills are a result of my labors."

"You say that with such confidence." Kensei added with a sly expression.

"Not without reason…" the taller man countered with a similar look.

The Chinese master folded his hands and nodded sternly. "I look forward to seeing which one of our disciples has received better training. Personally, I feel inclined to consider this a match between two rival dojos, rather than a practice session amongst our disciples."

Guy smiled widely at the thought. "Enough wasting time… I say we let the kids duke it out!"

"Wait a minute, I never agreed to this!" Kenichi screamed, his pupils shrinking in outrage.

Naruto couldn't help but laugh at the other boy's discomfort. "What's the matter, you afraid you'll lose?"

The Muay Thai Master did a series of jabs at the air before pulling his disciple into a one-armed hug. "Don't worry… If you lose, Apachai will beat up his masters and prove that Ryozanpaku is still the best in world! This way, you not feel pressure when sparring with smiling blonde man!"

"It's been a while since I've had a good fight! I might be willing to take up that challenge!" the bushy-browed karate-user squared up to him with an eager expression. He thrust his hand out and took a defensive stance. "The kids can wait, let's make this a fight between the big boys!"

Apachai let out a scream and shot forward so quickly that Naruto couldn't even follow the movements with his eyes, appearing in front of the karate master moments later. He unleashed a flurry of knees, fists, and elbows on his target, but Guy responded by extending his fingers outwards and thrusting his hands forward in a series of chopping motions, allowing him to dull the effectiveness of the blows by intercepting them with his own. The fists flew at unimaginable speeds until Akisame held an arm between them, causing both men to stop.

"That's quite enough of that…" The philosophical Jujitsu Master replied, his tone betraying subtle signs of irritation.

"He's absolutely right." Jiraiya added with a curt nod. "We didn't come here to challenge the dojo, and there's really no need to restart something that the old timers settled a long time ago."

"That doesn't mean we can't have fun with this while we're at it!" Sakaki slammed his bottle down on the table and kicked open the door. "You ready, boy?" he seized Kenichi by the back of his karate uniform and tossed him face first into onto the practice grounds.

Kenichi recovered quickly, shaking his head and wiping the dirt from his mouth. "Was that really necessary, Master Sakaki?"

Naruto waltzed past him with a fox-like grin. "Sheesh, you're more of a whiner than I originally thought." He placed his hands behind his head and leaned back with a relaxed expression. "If you thought that was brutal, wait until I start smacking you around."

"You know, I still never agreed to this." Ryozanpaku's disciple put in with a frown.

The dojo's karate master seized the boy's arm and wrenched his student into a standing position. "Enough trying to wuss out of it… We can't have you chickening out, least of all against those Konoha snobs and their obsession with blood lineage."

"You guys do know we're standing right here…" Jiraiya added with a mildly annoyed grimace.

Guy addressed his fellow karate master. "While what you said was once true, Konoha currently accepts any student willing to go the distance. My own apprentice was just an ordinary kid when we first met, but his desire to be a fighter made him just as powerful as those who've trained in the martial arts since birth."

Akisame folded his arms and stroked his chain thoughtfully. "That's precisely how is should be. A true master should have the ability to pass their skills down to any student, regardless of talent, lineage, or personal discretion."

"Here… we teach people… How to fight." Shigure stated in her signature monotone, her eyes flashing coldly. She took out a kunai and slashed the air, slicing a series of flies out of the air, much to Kenichi's horror. "They learn well… or they… die…"

"Careful Shigure, you're scaring Kenichi." Miu chastised her with a nervous sweat drop.

Naruto laughed at the expression on his prospective opponent's face, jabbing him in the side with a humorous chuckle. "The more time I spend here, the more I'm starting to like your masters!"

"You don't know what you're talking about." The brown-haired disciple paled at the thought, his body aching as a string of painful memories floated through his mind. "Try spending every day with them, and then tell me whether you still feel the same way."

"What was that?! Care to repeat it so the rest of us can hear?" Sakaki grumbled, reaching over and dangling his student by the leg.

Kenichi screamed wildly as his master shook him. "See what I mean?" he called out to Naruto.

"Why is Kenichi hanging like big punching bag? Is this a game? Wait up… Apachai wants to play too!" the Muay Thai master ran forward and elbowed their disciple in the stomach with his left arm, causing him collide painfully with Sakaki's rock-hard abs.

The two muscle-bound men took turns hitting him back and forth, the boy's eyes rolling back in his head. Naruto watched with a slightly pained expression, as they "played" with him for a few more seconds, uncertain of what to think about the Masters of Ryozanpaku. For a moment, he even began wondering if their victim was even conscious. Truthfully, he had been curious why Kenichi seemed so tough during his fight with Haku, but seeing this crazy display made it painfully clear where his endless endurance came from.

When they were done, the karate teacher dropped him on the ground, his vision spinning as he landed on his head. The blonde-haired disciple glanced down a Kenichi with a look of uneasy surprise as their gazes met.

"Just another day at Ryozapaku…" he muttered upon seeing Naruto's bewildered expression.

"All right, let's skip the small talk and get this party started!" Sakaki clapped his hands together as he led the way to the practice area.

Positioned between four wooden posts was a fighting ring, the only thing indicating its presence being a series of lines marking the boundaries along the ground. Normally they would have taken challengers inside the actual building, but for a disciple's sparring match they had already agreed on this location. The masters filed out into the yard in a group with Shigure, Sakaki, Kensei, and Apachai standing on one side, while Jiraiya and Guy stood on the opposite end.

Akisame stepped onto the sidelines and stood erect, having decided to act as the referee due to the fact that asking any of the others would not have gone over well. Most of the other masters didn't have the right temperament for the job, while Kensei and Jiraiya were currently stuck in the middle of an argument over whose disciple was more skilled. Prodded by their teachers, the two disciples stepped forward into the rectangular boundaries and took a fighting stance.

"The conditions of this match will be quite simple… There will be no time limit and anything goes short of killing each other."

"Hey Shirahama, you ready to get smacked down?" Naruto began challengingly.

A sense of amusement came to his opponent's eyes for a moment, making him look different from the gardener that he had become acquainted with. "As the Number One Disciple of Ryozanpaku, I accept your challenge."

The jujitsu master glanced between them before bringing his hand down in a chopping motion. "Ready… Set… … Begin!"

Unsurprisingly, Naruto was the first to attack, his fists flying at amazing speeds as entered his opponent's space and lashed out like a feral demon. He wrenched his right fist back and thrust it forward with as much power as he could muster, but his opponent raised both arms above his head and braced against the strike. Although neither fighter budged, Kenichi was surprised at the blonde boy's sheer physical strength. His surprise turned to shock as Naruto aimed a kick from below, forcing Ryozanpaku's disciple to retaliate quickly.

Kenichi raised his knee to block the kick with a Muay Thai move and smashing his opponent in the face with his elbow, finishing the combo by grabbing him by the ankle and tossing him with a quick display of jujitsu. Naruto righted himself in mid-air and used his opposite leg to stage a wobbly landing before spinning on his heal and unleashing a series of sweeping kicks. Kenichi did a frenzied leap to avoid the first strike, only to receive the second to the side of his head. He went skidding backwards from the blow, but managed to remain standing.

"Not a bad kick… You've definitely got some skills." He rubbed the side of his face while looking highly amused.

Naruto smiled with a slightly arrogant look. "You're supposed to be the disciple of this big shot dojo, but so far I'm not impressed."

Konoha's disciple charged his adversary and nailed him with a series of punches to the gut, looking surprised when he took each strike without even trying to dodge. Kenichi stiffened his body like a sheet of iron and took the full brunt of half the strikes, barely even flinching as he blocked half of the punches and used his endurance to absorb the rest. Naruto found this highly amusing as he hammered away at the shorter teen, his grin widening with each strike.

"C'mon Shirahama! Where's the awesome fighter that slammed Haku on the school roof?" he continued his assault with a slightly puzzled look. "Sheesh… What the Hell is your body made of anyway, solid lead?"

Jiraiya noticed the smirk on Kensei Ma's face before his mind wrapped around the situation. "You knucklehead… He's baiting you!"

Kenichi's eyes widened as he saw the perfect opening in the rhythm of punches, smashing both fists forward at an odd angle. "Yamatsuki!" he shouted, using one as a feint while slamming his opponent full force with the other.

"Your disciple fell for the oldest trick in the book, and now Kenichi's using his favorite combo." Kensei explained confidently, earning a frown from the white-haired pervert.

"Don't count Naruto out of this yet… My disciple has a knack for taking a beating from his opponents before tearing them to pieces."

Caught unaware by the first strike, Naruto was sent reeling backwards. He tried to shake it off, only to be struck again as his smaller adversary wrapped his hands around the blonde boy's head and smashed him in the face with a knee strike. He tried to complete the deathblow by toppling Konoha's disciple with a Judo move, but Naruto saw this coming and collapsed on the ground willingly, flailing his legs around in a spinning motion to shake off the opponent.

Ryozanpaku's disciple yelped in surprise before rolling away from the lethal display. He leapt to his feet just in time to block a punch directed at his face. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as Naruto forced his fist forward, using his pure physical strength to punch through the other boy's guard with the force of a bullet. Kenichi cringed as the punch smashed into the side of his face, using his opposite fist to deal several more punches of equal force to the rubs and jaw. The sheer force of the blow sent his opponent crashing to the ground.

Kensei Ma stated, popping up beside the white-haired pervert. "Your disciple certainly is an aggressive one. I daresay he's almost like enraged beast in the midst of battle."

Jiraiya nodded proudly. "He may not be interested in fancy techniques and roundabout strikes, but Naruto's got a lot of physical power. Because of that, I focused his training on teaching him how to deal devastating attacks using his monstrous strength while dealing blows in succession."

"I never imagined a tactful fighter like you would have taken a Dou-type as your disciple."

"That's why I chose to teach him Shaolin Kung Fu… It was an excellent style for him because it involves a lot of strong-handed motions."

"I see what you were trying to do." The Chinese man stroked his mustache pensively. "Not only does it play off of his strength, but it was also a way of teaching him to channel his power and control it properly."

Jiraiya seemed pleased he had picked up on it so quickly. "Precisely! This style may be fast and aggressive, but it requires precise breath control. Use too much power quickly and you're bound to exhaust yourself quickly, but know how to focus your breathing, and you can fight at full strength for long periods."

"So, you ready to give up yet?" Naruto cracked his knuckles as he bore down on his opponent.

The combination of punches that Naruto used on Kenichi moments ago had become his signature deathblow back at the dojo, and none of the other disciples unfortunate enough to be hit by it in their sparring matches had ever remained conscious let alone recovered immediately thereafter. He was constantly working to increase the speed and frequency of his punches to get more shots in per opening, and had shown considerable improvement over the years.

Although it took him a second to regain his bearings, Kenichi stood up again, gently dusting of his shirt. "Hate to disappoint you, but I'm just getting started."

The other boy stared incredulously at his opponent, his blue eyes wide with surprise. "How the Hell are you able to stand up after getting nailed like that?"

"Oh, that… My training here is so intense that I find myself facing life or death situations on a daily basis. Not to mention I've been taking beatings my entire life." Ryozanpaku's disciple rubbed his head with a slightly embarrassed look. "You might say I'm used to getting the crap kicked out of me."

Naruto placed both hands behind his head while giving him a look of revulsion. "Sheesh, what kinda loser actually brags about something like that?"

"Apparently someone else thinks I'm a loser… What else is new?" Kenichi muttered more to himself than anyone else.

The blonde disciple exhaled slowly before stiffening his arms, an intense power radiating from him. "Enough talk… This time I'll make it a real haymaker!" he darted forwards in a blur, appearing in front of his opponent with a fist cocked into a striking pose. "Take this!"

"Kenichi, look out!" Miu screamed out from the sidelines.

Ryozanpaku's student instinctively seized his adversary's fist in his hand, the impact of the strike still sending a tremor down the boy's arm. With a considerable strain on his left arm, Kenichi managed to stave off the strike, only to receive a second punch to the face. Although he was struck, the following hit was considerably weaker than the first one, allowing him to ignore avoid the possible deathblow. Naruto tried to free his right hand from the other boy's grip, but it felt as though it was being crushed in a vice.

"Let me go!" Naruto used his left fist to punch him several more times out of frustration, but his lack of focus proved costly.

Kenichi performed a high kick to the boy's opposite knuckle before twisting his right arm away and slamming him in the shoulder with a well-placed elbow. Still grasping Naruto's limb, he yanked upward with a quick motion, slamming him facedown into the dirt in a single movement. The brown-haired boy back away from his opponent and exhaled deeply, realizing just how close he might have been to a very painful defeat.

"Your disciple really knows how to combine his different martial arts training, doesn't he?" Guy commented, clearly impressed by the maneuver.

"Kenichi is an unusual fighter, because he can think of many different ways to overcome almost any opponent by mixing the results of his training as one." Akisame slid both hands into his long sleeves like an elderly monk. "This distinct combination of several different fighting styles is what makes him unique."

"This isn't the first time I've encountered someone with that innate ability, only I have to say the person I'm thinking of was a lot more talented than your weakling student."

Kensei Ma's expression softened as he glanced sideways at the middle-aged master. "You speak of Naruto's father, am I correct?"

Jiraiya nodded with a peaceful sense of nostalgia. "Yeah… It's rare that I see someone with his kind of potential. It's just a pity that his life was cut short by unforeseen circumstances."

The two Ryozanpaku masters tensed up as they remembered the circumstances, but no one said anything further on the subject. It wasn't something that any of them were comfortable talking about, and the idea of saying anything in front of Naruto kept them from even considering it. Due to long career within Konoha, Guy was also aware of the aforementioned circumstances surrounding Minato Namikaze's demise, and he knew better than to pursue the subject in mixed company.

Although it took him moment or two to come to his senses, Naruto spit the dirt out of his mouth and got back up, his expression giving off the impression that someone had just announced that Christmas was coming early. It was a mix of excitement and respect, the same emotion he remembered from when Sasuke was still training at Konoha. He had rarely met another disciple who could take so many of his blows directly without fainting. Most people opted to dodge, but this guy had been weathering the storm right along.

"Man! You've got a lot of guts, absorbing my punches like a boss!"

Kenichi raised a hand and smiled, despite the pain of his wounds. "You're not half bad either, but that doesn't mean I plan on losing this fight."

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Shirahama." His opponent spit on the ground and cracked his neck after returning the sentiments. "It's been a long time since I've been this excited during a sparring match, so you better watch out!"

The two fighters simultaneously prepared to resume the battle, but Naruto's ki had skyrocketed since their previous clash to the point where it seemed almost visible. The Ryozanpaku masters looked surprised by this sudden development, looking surprised that a disciple had such a strong fighting spirit. Guy folded his arms and smiled at the sight, knowing how rare it was for Naruto to display his full tenacity so openly.

"Looks like this fight is just about over…" Jiraiya remarked with a half-hidden smile.

Kensei Ma folded his arms with a more serious expression. "Admittedly that boy has a lot of spunk for a thoughtless knucklehead, but you might be surprised by our disciple's ability to cope even the most troubling situations."

Naruto's speed seemed to increase as he charged his opponent, disappearing from view one second and reappearing behind him moments later in a blur of orange and black. Kenichi looked behind his back only to be sucker punched as the blonde fighter shifted his stance and hammered the other man in face, causing blood to stream from his mouth.

Although he stumbled back in pain, Kenichi righted himself mid-fall and positioned his right hand in a downward curve, using the odd stance to redirect Naruto's next punch before it could hit. Seeing his opponent caught off guard, he moved his hands in an upward smashing motion to land a powerful blow to the blonde boy's chin. He thrust both hands forward in an attempt to finish the battle with a two-handed punch, but Naruto was faster.

"Not so fast!" Konoha's student shouted as he aimed a kick upwards, deflecting the incoming attack with the force of his own strike.

Kenichi raised his arms and began blocking and absorbing the blows as his opponent bounced back and released a volley of punches and kicks. The terrifying display reminded him of a previous battle he had witnessed. Although he hadn't fought the invincible brawler personally, Kenichi remembered watching Hermit take the full force of Berserker's fist while the latter was in some kind of adrenaline-enhanced state. The difference was that Naruto seemed perfectly conscious despite his ferocity.

"Apa! Blonde kid fights like he is on fire!" Apachai shouted with child-like excitement. "Go spiky-head, show him who is boss!"

"We're supposed to be… cheering… for Kenichi…" Shigure replied in her monotone, her eyes never leaving the battlefield for a moment.

"It's over!" Naruto screamed as he brought his hand down in a chopping motion.

Kenichi took a karate stance and blocked the strike, exerting as much force as possible. "I'm not ready to give up yet!"

Konoha's disciple felt his respect for his adversary grow. "You may be the Number One Student of Ryozanpaku… But I'm the guy who gonna be the world's greatest fighter!" he screamed with a sense of bottomless confidence.

Naruto placed his opposite hand on top of Kenichi's blocking arm, using the force of his opponent's strength to propel himself into the air. Kenichi felt his mouth sliding open, unsure what had happened for a moment.

Using the momentum from his descent, the spiky haired boy spun his entire body around before beginning his descent, dropping his heel down with excessive force. "Uzumaki… Smash!" he screamed out the name of his move.

"What the Hell!?" Kenichi took the kick directly in the face, the force the aerial attack causing him to crumple under the strain. The blow sent his entire body crashing into the ground.

"Win… Naruto Uzumaki!" Akisame declared loudly, resulting in series of groans from several of his colleagues, and a loud cheer from Guy.

The assembled masters seemed intrigued by the sudden turnaround, although Jiraiya seemed a little surprised that his student had chosen to use his secret deathblow. He had warned Naruto never to use that kind of move on someone weak, although it was clear from the fight that Kenichi Shirahama was not as fragile as he appeared. Everyone fell silent as they waited for him to recover, and after several tense moments, his limp body began to stir.

The brown-haired boy raised his head and rubbed it, using his other arm to hoist himself into a sitting position. "Oh God, I feel like someone ran over me with a boulder!"

"You were pretty good for a guy who's been doing this for less than a year." Naruto commented with a silly grin firmly in place.

"Wait a minute, all he did was knock me down! Are you saying I lost just because of that?"

Akisame approached from the sidelines to render his judgment. "The truth of the matter is, you were actually out cold for ten seconds flat."

"He's right…" Miu exhaled, looking gravely disappointed by his loss. "If you were fighting for your life, losing consciousness like that would have resulted in your death."

Naruto swept aside the notion as he extended a hand to the boy. "I gotta admit, you would have beaten me a load of times if it weren't for my endurance training. You've got a lot of guts, and I can't help but respect a guy who can take my punches without flinching and deal it back."

Kenichi blinked twice with a bewildered expression, noticing the strangely kind aura around his opponent. Despite relying on his explosive killing intent as a source of strength, the blonde teen seemed very genuine and honest at the same time. For a moment, Kenichi couldn't help but think of Naruto as a younger version of Apachai. The Muay Thai master also seemed to have a pure and kindly spirit, despite being a Dou-type Martial Artist.

He accepted his opponent's hand, who helped him back to his feet. "Thanks for the match."

"No problem…" Naruto screamed, slapping him on the back excitedly.

"Ouch, did you have to be so rough?" he screamed before covering his back with his hands.

"C'mon you big baby, I didn't hit you hard enough to break anything!"

Miu giggled as they began bickering, gently bringing a hand to her lips. "Oh, you guys~" she started with a humorous expression.

Jiraiya clapped a hand on the Chinese master's shoulder, giving him a gentle shake. "All right Kensei, looks like I won our little bet."

The smaller man nodded in agreement, but seemed undisturbed by the news. "Winning a single sparring match against our disciple doesn't make him weaker than yours. Just based on this little exhibition, I can honestly say that Kenichi's been through fights that Naruto would be unable to handle."

"I believe it, but I could tell from his mannerisms that your boy wasn't holding back."

"We never said he was." Akisame replied with a stern nod. "The truth is that it takes a real fight to bring out Kenichi's true potential. A sparring match against someone who may consider a friend is hardly enough to determine his personal strength."

Guy smiled, revealing his shiny teeth. "Not to say I disagree, but the same could easily be said for our disciple."

A sense of competitive tension radiated between the four masters, but Jiraiya quickly diverted the discussion. "Never mind all that static…" he turned to the smallest of their number and bent over. "I expect you to pay up since you lost our little wager."

"Son of a bitch…" Kensei muttered under his breath upon remembering the full terms of their agreement. He choked back the lump that had begun to form in his throat before folding his hands and nodding compliantly. "Very well, you won fair and square."

"We do the tradeoff later… I expect you to hand over your entire collection of photos, in addition to carrying out that little favor I requested earlier."

"I'm a man of my word." The small man stroked his chin craftily before grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Besides, this could prove to be more interesting than I originally thought."

Akisame Koetsuji shook his head disdainfully. "Something tells me I don't even want to know what you two are talking about."

"Trust me, you don't. I already heard 'em talking yesterday." Sakaki replied with a bored expression. "I honestly don't care what those perverted old geezers are going on about. We oughta focus on Kenichi getting his butt kicked, and what we're gonna do about it."

"But of course…" the philosophical Jujitsu master agreed. Although his tone remained even, his eyes twinkled with a vindictive sense of amusement. "I look forward to designing a new training schedule for our disciple for shaming the name of Ryozanpaku. Such an act is unacceptable."

"I'm pretty sure the old man would agree." The karate brawler replied, looking equally as excited.

Kenichi paled slightly as he had heard the conversation, instead choosing this moment to get out of the dojo as quickly as possible. "So, you were saying earlier that the Shinpaku Alliance saved your friend during a fight with Team Hebi?"

The blonde boy batted him a thumbs-up. "I never figured Lee would get pushed into a corner like that again, but this is the second time you guys stuck your necks out to save him."

"Nijima told me to attend a Shinpaku Alliance meeting today at the usual spot. If you wanna thank them, maybe you could tag along with me."

Miu frowned with a slightly confused look. "Wait a minute, we're actually going? I thought you said you hated attending those meetings." she smirked with a cat-like expression. "Unless, of course, you're just trying to get out of this afternoon's training session with Akisame."

"Oh yeah, I'm betting your masters are really steamed after watching you lose to me!" Naruto replied with glee.

"You really should do a better job concealing your ulterior motives, Kenichi." She added.

"Sheesh, is it that obvious?" the boy let out a groan at the thought, but was saved from having to come up with an excuse by his former opponent.

Konoha's disciple grinned broadly "Believe it or not, I was actually planning on sitting in on that meeting anyways."

"Really!?" the other two teens answered simultaneously.

"You bet! That weird alien kid personally escorted Lee back home to Konoha after treating his wounds. He asked us all to come to the hideout tonight if we wanted, and I decided it might be fun opportunity to get to know you guys better!"

Kenichi exhaled before nodding his head in agreement. "All right, I guess that settles it!"

"So, we're going then?" Miu pressed him hopefully.

"Since we're all here and we were all invited to the same place, I guess it makes sense that we head out together." The brown-haired boy rubbed the back of head wearily. "Plus, it also makes it less likely that we'll be attacked by those Hebi thugs."

Naruto pumped his fist excitedly before turning to his teacher. "Yo, Master Jiraiya! You don't mind if I hang out in town with Kenichi and some of his friends this afternoon?"

"Well, we did have a bit of training planned for today, but I guess you're only young once." His eyes began moving towards his companions, settling on the girl for a moment.. "Plus, I wouldn't hesitate to spend some time with the granddaughter of the Invincible Superman if I were your age. I say go for it!"

"You don't mind if we go, do you Akisame?" Miu bowed her head to the jujitsu teacher.

"Master Jiraiya is absolutely right! The two or you are far too young to spend all your free time working and training." He spared a quick glance at the dojo's top disciple, causing a demonic twinkle to come to his dull eyes. "Besides, I'm certain we can always help Kenichi make up for lost time tomorrow, isn't that right?"

"It'll be my pleasure to help out, too! We let him off with disgracing the name of Ryuozanpaku, now can we?" Kensei added mischievously.

"Of course, master!" he shouted nervously, lowering his head in a humble, yet terrified manner.

Despite the soft tone with which his masters had spoken, Kenichi cringed in terror at the thought. He knew that they were planning on making his training all the more brutal in exchange for losing. This was usually how the masters reacted whenever he failed to meet their expectations, even if it was something minor like this. He saw a tough training regimen coming up as a result of this blunder.

Master Koetsuji nodded once to affirm his approval of the arrangements. "Excellent… Now I suppose you kids should get going. There's no need to keep your friends waiting right now."

Naruto leapt into the air, landing on top of one of the walls surrounding the dojo's grounds. "All right guys, what're we waiting for? Let's get going!" he called back before scooting over the side and vanishing from view.

Miu followed his example, closely followed by Kenichi, the latter of which was mush less comfortable with these kinds of acrobatics. While he had learned a lot from training in the martial arts, he was still unable to run across rope-lines and vault over walls the same way Miu did so effortlessly. With some effort, he managed to jump to their level and followed suit, the trio of disciples moving across the grounds and into the street.

Meanwhile…

Under Lee's insistence, the Konoha disciples had all agreed to attend another meeting with the Shinpaku Alliance. Hinata had timidly agreed to come, but was now regretting her decision due to the personalities of the alliance's members. Although they didn't seem like bad people, she could tell they weren't kidding about being former thugs. Shikamaru looked bored as usual as he sat in his spot, continually defeating the Shinpaku grunts at board games. He had played about four games already, and none of them had put up a challenge.

The flag bearer, Matsui, glanced down at the table in disbelief. "Whoa, that's not possible!" he blinked confusedly before fumbling with the banner. "You beat me at chess in five moves flat!"

Of all his teammates, he had been the least interested in coming to the meeting, but he managed to stifle a yawn in an attempt to be more courteous. "Don't take it personally, I grew up playing these kind of games, so I've had a load of practice."

"It was an honor facing you in battle, Captain Shikamaru!" he bowed low, earning an eye-roll from the other man.

"For the last time, I'm not a member of this club." The genius replied neutrally, running his hand through his hair with a sigh.

Matsui shook his head nervously. "Forgive me, but that's not what Captain Lee said!"

"I'll have to talk to him about that later." Shikamaru replied while making a mental note to do just that.

Most of the other people in the room were gathered around the exercise area watching the main festivities. After a few competitive exchanges early on in the meeting, the two sides found themselves in the midst of several different competitions involving their application and knowledge of the martial arts. To Nijima's joy, they had decided to settle this with a sparring match, and so far no one seemed to be winning.

Sakura ducked as she avoided a kick directed at her head, bending back and jumping around to avoid each successive attack. "You're a pretty tough cookie, and yet you don't even have a master to teach you!"

"Who needs a master, so long as you've got the guts?" Kisara performed a quick combination of roundhouse kicks and low kicks, throwing her opponent off balance. "Besides, it seems you're pretty lacking in the power department."

The pink-haired girl swatted one kick aside while using her skills to maneuver in and out of the enemy's territory unharmed. "Power's not everything when compared to skill and versatility."

Her opponent laughed with sinister look. "Says someone who doesn't have any to speak of!"

"You have no idea!" Sakura replied, reeled both her arms back, moving her weight from one side to the other, she shifted her stance quickly to avoid being hit by the barrage of kicks. Raising her hands, before lashing out with a series of dangerous thrusts.

Kisara felt a sharp pain in her arm as the opponent jabbed her in the elbow, but quickly retaliated by tripping her opponent with a sweeping kick, using the distraction as an opportunity to slam her in the stomach with a high-kick. Sakura was caught by the motion, her body crumpling for a moment as she went flying out of the boundaries and into a wall.

"That was some kick! Are you okay, Sakura?" Ino ran over to her with a look of concern, but the pink-haired girl refused to accept her help, instead stomping past her friend without so much as a back glance.

"What's the matter, girl? Does it upset you that my street-fighting made me a better fighter than your master training?" she shrugged with a small yawn. "You've got some good moves, but the Northern Mantis is a little too rooted to the ground for my liking. It looks like your teacher never explained how to overcome that weakness."

Although she looked irritated at first. "I was going to compliment you on catching me off guard, but I won't let you get away with insulting Lady Tsunade!"

"That's it, show her who's the real queen of martial arts!" Ino cheered as she the two girls began another round.

Kisara smiled with amusement and retook her stance. "That's the spirit… Come at me again and prove me wrong!"

Hinata tapped her fingers together nervously, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Are you sure that it's a good idea to let them continue. Lee said we were supposed to make friends with these people, not turn them into enemies."

The blonde girl smiled comfortingly at her new friend. "They might have a go at each other, but I'm pretty confident they wouldn't seriously hurt each other."

"Are you sure?" the Hyuga asked timidly. "For some strange reason, I got the impression that the red-haired girl doesn't like me."

"Two words… Breast envy!" her friend answered with a light-hearted chuckle.

"Wh-What did you say!?" Hinata stammered, almost falling out of her chair with a flabbergasted blush.

"C'mon, those things are huge!" she answered, causing the other girl to stare at her own chest with wide-eyes bewilderment. "That Kisara girl's about as flat as a board. It's no wonder she doesn't like having you around." She pat the other girl on the shoulder before giving her chest a playful squeeze.

Hinata jumped slightly at the feel of a woman touching her, earning another laugh from the bold blonde. She did her best to keep her composure, despite looking even more uncomfortable than before. "You don't think she's taking it out on Sakura, do you?"

Ino placed one hand on her hip with a playful look. "In the world of fighters, engaging in true combat is a way of showing respect for the other's fighting skills. Speaking of which, I was hoping Kenichi would be here."

"I think Naruto was supposed to fight him at Ryozanpaku today." The pale-eyed girl responded.

"Hopefully they'll crash this party soon and make things even more interesting."

Across the room, Nijima was watching another sparring match alongside Siegfried, Takeda, and Lee, although the last two looked as if he would have liked nothing more than to be in the arena. Having been intrigued by each other's styles during the previous meeting, Choji and Thor had started by demonstrating some basic moves, and had finished by challenging each other to an exhibition match.

The two combatants clashed like a pair of rogue elephants, Choji's fist movements colliding with Thor's palm thrusts as they tested two strong-handed styles against each other. Hun Gar martial arts was known as a powerful style centered on strong stances and even greater physical force, while Sumo focused largely on the same two ideas with the focus on grappling, throwing, and crushing opponents.

"Take this!" Thor attacked with a flurry of hands, but his opponent reacted quickly.

Choji braced himself for the impact and took several strikes directly, using his stance in order to keep himself from being pushed back. "It'll take a lot more than that kind of brutish display to beat me down!" he shouted.

The Sumo Wrestler frowned. "Oh yeah, let's see how you take my next move!"

Thor raised his arms in preparations of smashing both fists downwards, but Choji took the opening and clapped his hands together, using the force of both arms to drive his elbow into the larger man's gut. The Sumo groaned loudly as he felt the power of the strike combined with his adversary's stance, the pain made worse by the fact that he had ran right into it. He stumbled backwards and fell to one knee, his ribcage throbbing even though no bones were broken.

"Damn, no one's ever managed to hurt me so badly using a frontal assault before." He drew himself up to his full height, making his opponent prepare for an assault. Thor noticed this and broke out laughing before smacking the boy in the cut. "Awesome man, you gotta teach me that move one day!"

Choji's expression changed suddenly. "I'd be happy to, if you show me some of those sumo moves in the future!" he held out his hand.

The larger man accepted the gesture with a fist bump. "It's a deal, big guy! Let's become great fighter on behalf of the all the fat men in the world!"

"What did you just call me?!" Choji screamed, his face changing drastically.

Shikamaru looked up from his chess game with a weary expression. "Oh damn, you really shouldn't have said that."

The expression of cold fury emanating from his sparring partner caused Thor to jump a little. "Chill out dude… It's like I said before, we gotta show the world that being big doesn't mean we're slow and useless!"

"Really!? The Hun Gar disciple replied bewilderedly.

"Hell yeah! My dream is to mainstream my style as the greatest of all martial arts." Thor pointed his thumb towards himself proudly. "When my dream comes true, everyone will want to be trained in the art of Sumo, and the guys considered most attractive will be those with a true Sumo Wrestler's body!"

Choji stroked his chin thoughtfully, having remembered the large man mentioning something along those lines before. Truthfully it sounded a little too optimistic to be real, but at the same time he couldn't help but admire Thor for having confidence in his own dreams. He also liked that idea about big guys being considered the most handsome, although it also stunk knowing that the girls he knew would probably never buy into it. After a moment of thinking it over, he smiled.

"Good luck!" he stated holding his arm to the other man.

"You too, kid!" Thor locked arms with Choji and they shook, creating a sense of brotherhood between two men.

Shikamaru sauntered over to where they were standing and tapped his best friend on the shoulder. "So buddy, you ready to get going? It doesn't look like Naruto's going to show up anytime soon."

"Come to think of it, we've been here a few hours and it's starting to get late." The heavy built boy replied before glancing back at his new rival. "Next time, maybe we can have a rematch!"

Thor laughed loudly before nodding in agreement. "All righty then, I look forward to it!"

"Don't tell me we're leaving already." Ino shot in, glancing back at the others. "Sakura and Lee are just getting started, and Naruto hasn't even got here yet."

Glancing over his shoulder, Shikamaru watched Sakura's continued match with Kisara. Across the room, Lee was hosting a practice fight with Takeda and Ukita, the latter of which looked as if he was having trouble keeping up with the others. Nijima was standing on a table screaming about the "glory" of their new alliance, while Hinata had somehow been roped into a conversation with Siegfried. It sounded like he was talking about his musical whims again, although she seemed strangely content with listening.

All seemed fine for a moment, but the scene froze as a pair of Shinpaku grunts came crashing through the door. A sense of fear burned in their eyes that seemed to catch the attention of the others, particularly Nijima whose antennas began wiggling in panic. Jumping from his platform, he crossed over to greet his subordinates, all eyes in the room on him.

"What news do you bring? Speak you lowly peons!" he commanded, his grandiose gestures from before being replaced by a cold sense of seriousness.

"Commander Nijima… Th-They're… They're here!" one of the men screamed before passing out on the floor, his eye rolling back and a stream of drool running down his cheek.

"Who's here?" The alien shook his unconscious subordinate roughly, but the man refused to answer. Standing up, he clapped his hands together, quickly bringing the gathered people to his attention.

Ukita groaned in annoyance. "What's going on now, alien freak?"

"Chill out dude, we were just in the middle of practice!" Takeda added with an easy going look.

"It has come to my attention that we have some unwanted guests in our midst. Everyone, prepare to search the grounds immediately!" Nijima ran for the front doors, closely followed by Siegfried and several of the Shinpaku captains.

The Konoha students sensed danger, but Shikamaru was the first to say it. "Looks like I wasn't just imagining that crazy killing intent in the air." He muttered to himself, earning a nod from his friends. "Guess we might as well go check it out."

"If it's someone looking for a fight, I say they found it!" Lee shouted, as he ran after the Shinpaku members.

"Definitely!" Ino agreed before following his example

The two groups stepped into the yard, each of them gasping in shock as they beheld the incoming threat. Standing across the square were several hooded figures, each wearing the trademark drape of Team Hebi's elite fighters. At this point, nearly all of the group's young martial artists had encountered these people in some way, and those that hadn't recognized the descriptions given to them by friends.

Nijima ran to the head of the group before addressing himself to the strangers. "You've got a lot of nerve stepping into the Shinpaku Alliance's territory like this! State your business, or we won't hesitate to strike you down!"

A pair of figures parted ways to reveal another cloaked man, his presence suffocating to the weaker members of the group. "We are the Demons of Team Hebi… And I am known as the Devil Fist."

"The Devil Fist!" Ino reiterated the name, a sense of dread filling her as she remembered its significance. The blonde moved forward boldly. "Why would the leader of Team Hebi choose now to step up?"

"Hmmm…" Shikamaru bit his tongue as his ears perked up, silently wondering why the voice sounded so familiar.

The Devil Fist merely cracked his neck with a sense of cold indifference, earning a scowl from the alien. "I would like you to do me a favor…" he began, causing the enemy fighters to tense up immediately. The display of fear brought a smile to his pale lips. "Would you please die for us?"

Note to Readers: Phew, took me a while to get the motivation to write this, and it also took some time to figure out how to lay it out and what plot points to go with. Well, here it is… Hope you enjoy. Sorry as usual for any errors or typos, but I usually write this late at night. Now you know what happened to Kiba, and also got a chance to see Naruto fight. Next chapter should be a big plot development chapter if things go well. Just to let you know, this is NOT the final clash by a long shot.

If you have any suggestions for the story, please share. Even if you can drop a comment, that would be greatly appreciated. Don't forget to **REVIEW**! It motivates me to keep writing this story. Support's still at an all-time low, only slightly better than last time. If you wanna see more, just give me a holler.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: The Showdown**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

Both factions remained relatively silent as the Devil Fist stepped into the open, his presence pacifying the enemy fighters along with his own teammates. The crushing pressure created by his killing intent lingered in the air, making even the hastiest individuals too afraid to break the silence. While normally loud-mouthed and boastful, Nijima was rendered speechless for the moment, his antennas having retracted into his hairline due to lack of necessity. He didn't need to scan their opponents to know how dangerous they were.

Most of the Konoha students were relatively calm, although Hinata appeared paralyzed with fear. Sakura and Ino wore defiant expressions while Choji and Lee looked as if they were sizing up the enemy, the latter appearing excited at the prospect of fighting them. Despite his lazy nature, Shikamaru seemed uncharacteristically focused, his gaze pensive and his mannerisms remaining calm with a sense of strong concentration hidden directly underneath the surface.

Due to most of them being former thugs and delinquents, the Shinpaku Members looked eager to battle. Even Siegfried appeared to be taking the possibility into consideration, despite several of his lingering injuries.

Ukita clenched his fists, looking sickened by the standoff. "Damn it! Who do these guys think they are, popping up on our turf like this?"

"Ease up, big guy… Something tells me none of us are getting out of this without a scrap." The blue-haired boxer clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder.

Before either of them could continue the conversation, their self-proclaimed leader addressed the enemy. "You pitiful fools! It doesn't matter how powerful you think you are, we still have you vastly outnumbered!"

Suigetsu stepped out from behind the Devil Fist, pulling back his hood. "You sound pretty confident for such an ugly piece of trash. I'll have to take advantage of that!"

"You actually believe I would waste my time on someone like you!" The alien placed his hands on his hips and let out an arrogant cackle before hiding behind a row of his bodyguards. "All right kiddies, now we know which one of these punks is the Devil Fist. Take down the boss, and the others will be sure to follow!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Thor screamed before charging towards the enemy ranks.

Lee smashed his left fist into his right palm, his ki flaring up excitedly. "Count me in as well!"

In a matter of moments, Ino joined the advancing group alongside Takeda, Ukita, Choji, and Kisara, all of whom seemed confident in their own abilities. In response to the sudden attack, several of the hooded figures surrounding Team Hebi's leader left his side and began converging on the attacking group like a flock of angry crows, each of them stepping directly into the path of their respective opponents. The advancing force stopped instinctively to face this new threat, all focus on defeating the enemy leader being lost in that moment. A strong tension lingered in the air as the two sides squared off, their gazes locking, but neither attacking.

Shikamaru nudged the alien with a look of disdain. "There you go, riling them up for no reason. It was a dumb idea to send them in without a plan."

"Oh, that… I was just trying to speed things along! Don't think I haven't accounted for all of the variables here." Nijima saw the expression on the other man's face and smiled evilly. "Come now, you're a smart lad, Shikamaru. I'm certain you know exactly what I mean."

The genius seemed to understand after some brief consideration, but his expression did not change. "Let's just hope your gambling doesn't get my friends killed."

Kisara ducked a punch from his opponent and performed a roundhouse kick, only for her foot to collide with the side of her opponent's wrist. She prepared to strike again, but the enemy responded with a series of counter kicks. The redhead placed one hand on her head to avoid losing her trademark cap while bending backwards to avoid a left hook to the face. Although the opponent's knuckle grazed her cheek, Kisara remained relatively unscathed by the assault.

"What do you know? You're not half bad." She commented with an amused smirk.

The enemy pulled back her hood, revealing grayish blue hair and sharp eyes. "So far your idiot friends have proven despicably weak…" She pointed to the others with a look of disdain. "I hope you won't disappoint me like that singing freak."

Siegfried stepped forward with a spin in his step, shaking his head disdainfully. "It may be true that I was defeated, but you claim that your body's resilience is due to unnatural procedures rather than intense training. Can one such as you truly be called a martial artist?"

"Are you actually questioning the integrity of my training!?" she began coldly.

"It doesn't matter how you obtained your abilities, so long as you know how to kill!" Suigetsu added in, quietly taking into consideration the experiments performed on his own body.

Lee tensed up with a look of utter revulsion as he faced off against his enemy. "I do not know what you are talking about, but a true fighter would never devalue the fruits of hard work!"

The shark-like man glared at his opponent with a sense of malice. "No one asked for your opinion, bushy-brows!"

Gritting his sharpened teeth, he took a swing at the green-clad youth, but the target used his superior agility to dodge with a well-placed flip. He landed gracefully on his feet before thrusting his leg forward, but the opponent turned his wooden blade sideways and blocked the attack before shoving the other boy backwards while swinging his weapon in a wide arc. Lee saw the attack coming changed the angle of the strike with another swift kick. Despite coming within inches of getting his skull smashed, he looked unshaken by the exchange.

"You seem stronger than your friend, Kagero… That is good." He remarked with anticipation.

"Don't insult me!" the swordsman began menacingly. "I'm on an entirely different level than that weakling."

Lee stood his ground and struck a stance, jabbing at the air a few times to loosen his muscles. "If that is true, than this should be a very interesting fight."

Choji slammed his fists together and glared at his adversary. "I can tell by that strong aura that you're no slouch. That killing intent you exude isn't something to sniff at."

"You seem quite confident, confronting me even with this prior knowledge." Kimimaro stiffened up and snapped his neck nonchalantly. "While your courage is admirable, you may not live to regret your decision."

Ino cast a hollow expression at the small figure standing in front of her. "So, I take it you're the one who's gonna be fighting me?"

The girl removed her cloak, revealing a slim figure and white cat suit, complimented by her light green hair and pale features. "I way always taught that introductions are important before each battle." She spoke calmly, before bowing her head. "I am Kagero Fuma, and you are?"

"I never took you thugs as the type to be so polite, but at least you have manners." She shrugged casually before returned the gesture with a look of amusement. "My name is Ino Yamanaka, and it'll be a great pleasure to take you on!"

"Very well…" Kagero slid her claw-like gauntlet into place on her arm with a loud click.

Karin straightened her glasses with an arrogant smile, her eyes darting towards Lee for a brief moment. "I was hoping to get another shot at bushy-brows, but it looks like he's a little busy right now." She eyed the blue-haired boxer up and down pensively. "You're not bad-looking, but can you fight?"

"Don't know whether I should thank you for the compliment or not." Takeda replied sheepishly, flashing her one of his trademark grins. "If you're curious about my fighting style, why not come over here and find out for yourself?"

Thor scraped his foot against the ground and raised his arms like a bear preparing to strike. "Don't waste your breath on these rotten thugs." He scolded the others impatiently, breaking into a violent tackle seconds later. "You hear that, Hebi-dudes? I'm gonna smash you all to pieces!"

His threat did little more than irritate the enemy gang, although several of the Killing Fist users couldn't help but snicker at the thought. The Devil Fist sized up the odds in his head, quietly taking into account the skills of his former comrades from Konoha, his subordinates in Team Hebi, and whatever limited knowledge he had of the Shinpaku Alliance. He was confident that the current lineup could handle everyone alone, but he wasn't worried regardless. Even if his calculations were wrong, he could always step in personally to finish the fight quickly. Back on the battlefield, Thor continued his charge, but the large figure refused to budge even an inch.

Sakura's jaw dropped in awe. "Is that guy trying to get himself crushed?"

Shikamaru went over the scenario for a second before discerning the truth. "Tale a look at that stance." He advised the other bystanders. "That big guy fighting Thor has this entire situation figured out completely."

"What do you mean by that?" she cocked an eyebrow with a puzzled expression.

Nijima's eyed widened in horror as he figured out what the genius boy was talking about. "Thor, you're playing right into his hands!" he screamed, frantically throwing his arms in the air.

"Now you die!" the Sumo Wrestler broke into a dive with surprising agility for his size

The mammoth opponent thrust his fist forward, smashing his attacker in the stomach and greatly weakening the powerful of Thor's tackle using the strength of his punch as a counter strike. A collective gasp came from the assembled fighters as they watched the sumo practitioner's gigantic form crumple like a marionette whose strings had just been cut. The enemy's hood slid away, revealing bright orange hair styled into a series of spikes, and a rather serious expression.

"I was hoping you wouldn't be so irrational as to perform such a predictable assault, but even I won't simply stand around when an opponent charges me with such strong killing intent." Jugo stated in a surprisingly civil tone.

"Im-Impossible…" he gasped. Thor was shocked that someone had managed to inflict so much damage with a blow to his armor-like chest.

The fiery-haired man recoiled his fist hand, using the opposite to slam his opponent in the jugular, causing Thor to stumble backwards before landing on his back with a crash. The sumo wrestler wondered if his neck has been broken by the sudden impact, but quickly confirmed the answer by moving his fingers tips. Although it took some effort, he managed to regain the feeling in his limbs while biting back the searing pain in his stomach.

Jugo took a few steps away from the other man while shaking his head. "Stay down…" he ordered with a look of disdain. "If you choose to continue this farce, I may have no choice but to kill you."

"You wish, smartass!" Thor ignored the pain and stood up, his body quaking violently.

"I purposely held back with that initial strike to test your strength." The red-haired demon warned him, earning an uneasy grimace from his opponent. "The fact that you're still conscious after taking a blow to the neck is proof enough of your strength, but I will not be so lenient with the next strike. Do not throw your life away needlessly."

The giant wrestler coughed violently, his stance wavering, as the pain coursed through is entire body. "I true sumo doesn't give up a match until he loses or can't continue fighting. That's why you'll have to kill me if you wanna claim victory in this fight!"

The enemy closed his eyes with a somber expression, opening them seconds later to reveal a pitiless stare. "I was hoping to avoid needless bloodshed… Just remember, you only have yourself to blame for whatever happens next."

Thor let out a growl as he charged again, raising both arms while pumping them back and forth in a series of high-speed sumo slams, but the enemy remained still. Jugo absorbed a few hits without flinching to get the enemy in range before kicking upwards with his leg, nailing the large wrestler in the face. Thor's body began to fall backwards again, but Jugo seized him by the neck and hoisted the wrestler over his head with one hand, grabbing his giant form with bother hands.

With a violent jerking motion, he slammed the sumo into the ground with excessive force before heaving him across the battlefield like a sack of trash, his body leaving an imprint at the point of impact before skidding violently across the dirt. Although several of the others were engaged in their respective battles, the rumbling and tremors caused by the battle diverted their attention away from their own fights. Regardless of the side they were on, everyone present stood in awe of Jugo's display of power.

"What the Hell, that guy's a monster!" Nijima screamed, his antennas spinning round wildly as he analyzed the enemy fighter.

Matsui lowered his flag with a horrified expression before ducking behind their self-proclaimed leader. "Did you see how easily that giant tossed Captain Thor? Maybe we should order a retreat. What do you say, General Nijima?"

"Give up our base of operations to the enemy!? Never!" the alien barked defiantly, his eyes narrowing with concentration moments later. "The real question is, what kind of martial arts was that big guy using just now?"

Shikamaru stroked his chin thoughtfully. "From the looks of it, I would say he's using a variation of Pankration, only without the anti-killing limitations."

"I'm no martial artist… Why don't you bring that by me again."

"Pankration is an ancient variation of martial arts created by the Greeks during the early Olympic games." The genius explained with a note of concern. "The style involves the use of powerful strikes to break bones and crush the enemy's body with sheer force. In a way, it's not too much different from modern day mixed martial arts."

Sakura nodded tensely. "In modern competition there are a lot of rules to prevent people from actually killing each other, but the style of Pankration we just witnessed seems to lack all of the safety procedures."

Nijima opened his mouth to respond, but a familiar shape darting past caught his attention. "Get back here before your injuries kick in… Are you trying to get killed, Sieg?" he screamed after the retreating figure.

Siegfried ran into the battlefield to check on his defeated friend. "Thor, are you all right?" he called out, placing a hand to his mouth.

Guren leapt into his path with a sinister expression. "How cute… Come to die alongside your friend, you singing freak?"

"Out of my way, I don't have time to deal with the likes of you!" the composer extended his arms outwards and moved into his trademark twirling position.

"Hey ugly, you've still got me to deal with me, remember!?" Kisara tripped the blue-haired woman from behind with a low kick, taking the opening created by her first strike to plant a second kick to her back.

The blue-haired women stumbled slightly, but the redhead's kicks did surprisingly little damage due to her protective bodily enhancements. Guren smiled at her master's cunning, knowing that despite the occasional disadvantages of her prosthetics, they incredibly helpful. She prepared to counterattack, but was forced into a defensive position as the Kisara began hammering at her with a frightening barrage of kicks. Kisara flashed her teammate a reassuring look while forcing her opponent backwards, allowing Siegfried to help Thor.

"Wake up! Speak to me!" Siegfried shook his friend violently in an attempt to rouse him, but to no avail.

Sakura appeared by his side seconds later, her focus lingering on the composer for a moment before shifting to the injured man. "I can handle this, don't worry…" she tried to comfort him upon seeing Siegfried's distraught face.

Using the medical knowledge that Tsunade had taught her to perform a quick test, she placed her hand on his face and another on his heart, although there was no breath or beat as far as she could feel. She placed her hand on one of his veins, feeling the steady pulse from within. After analyzing his unconscious form carefully, she struck him in a specific place on the torso with the side of her hand, causing the heartbeat to return. Seeing that his chest was now rising and falling steadily, she sighed in relief.

The gesture did no go unnoticed by Siegfried. "My word, did you just bring him back from the dead!?"

"He wasn't really dead, but he might've been close to slipping into a coma." She explained while dusting off her pants. "I've been trained in medicine in addition to the martial arts. That technique I used was just a little jumpstart to get his body functioning properly again."

The well-dressed man bowed his head while placing a gloved hand over his heart. "This is not once, but twice that you have done me a great service… I owe you now more than ever."

"No sweat. Let's just get your buddy out of this mess before something else happens to him."

As they carried the large man to safety, Jugo returned to his superior's side on the opposite side of the battlefield, noting that neither of he or the Hyuga clansman had removed their drapes or stepped into the battlefield. A certain amount of tension lingered in the air around Neji, but he wasn't particularly interested in asking, knowing full well that the cloudy-eyed boy wouldn't answer either way. Although most of his face was concealed, Jugo could tell that Sasuke's expression was one of mingled satisfaction and disapproval.

"Why didn't you finish him off?" the Devil Fist clapped a hand onto the larger man's shoulder, subtly releasing his monstrous killing intent.

Jugo felt the suffocating aura, but unlike most of his colleagues he did not panic. "I struck him several time with the intent to kill. If he managed to survive, it is out of my hands."

Sasuke considered his answer for a moment before nodding. "Fair enough, I suppose…"

He clenched his fist with a somber expression. "Would you like me to put an end to this ridiculous conflict and finish them all?"

The gang leader glanced at the ongoing battles before shaking his head. "Let the others have their fun for now. Why should we needlessly interfere when it's easier just to just sit back and enjoy the show? Wouldn't you agree, Neji?"

He received no answer from the Hyuga, who seemed to be focused on something else entirely. If he heard the Uchiha's question, he purposely ignored it. Having long grown used to his cold shoulder, the Devil Fist chose not to hassle him further. While Neji was a valuable asset to the gang, he was also stubbornly independent and thus very difficult to control.

The trio of enemy fighters remaining in the back did not go unnoticed by Nijima. "Looks like carrot-top decided to leave the battlefield." He grit his teeth, looking slightly shaken by the thought. "Those bastards are so confident that they're willing to step in outnumbered like this. How arrogant!"

"Not necessarily." Shikamaru put his hands in his pockets, his eyes never leaving the battlefield for a second.

"What exactly are you talking about now, smartass?" the alien quipped irritably.

"Well sure they're being arrogant, but at the same time they're also playing it smart. Those other guys are standing within range so they can enter the fight anytime they want, but leave if they lose interest."

The Shinpaku General grit his teeth. "Damn them, playing games with my crew like we're just some common street trash! They must think this is some kind of game!"

As the battle continued, Lee found himself forced onto the defensive. Not only was his opponent strong, but he also had the advantage of wielding a weapon. At this point the green-clad fighter had taken several hits from the wooden blade, and was certain that he would have broken several bones by not were it not for his intense endurance training with Master Guy. His body was strong enough to withstand the blows, but he wondered how much longer it would be before he reached his limits.

"You're looking a little worse for wear." Suigetsu found pleasure in his opponent's suffering, but seemed impressed at the same time. "I've never seen someone take so many of my strikes without passing out. At least you can take a hit like a man."

Lee smirked, the enemy's comment prompting him to deciding to switch tactics. "Tell me, can the same by said for you?"

The green clad fighter tore the weights from his ankles and tossed them at the opponent, forcing him to jump out of the way. Seeing his chance, Lee vanished in a blur of green, reappearing behind the swordsman in mid-air and kicking him in the back, propelling Suigetsu's body upwards. He leapt into the air above the swordsman and planted a kick in his mid-section, driving him back to the ground.

Suigetsu leapt back to his feet, a groan escaping his pointed teeth. "You bushy-browed freak, blindsiding me with a speed technique." He grumbled, his eyes alive with malice. "I'm gonna kill you for that."

"It appears you also possess strong endurance. I would expect nothing less from such a confident opponent. Consider that small kick a test of your abilities…"

"You should've hit me harder when you had the chance." The swordsman gripped the end of his blade so tightly that the wood creaked in protest, his aura darkening noticeably. "You may have caught me off guard by dropping those ankle weights, but I assure you it won't happen again!"

"Bring it on!" Lee performed one of his master's trademark poses before clashing with his enemy once again.

Meanwhile Takeda was having some trouble with his opponent. Although he was marginally stronger than her, Karin was faster, which more than compensated for their difference in physical power. The boxer advanced on her with a series of jabs, completing the combo with his signature left, but her footwork allowed her to keep enough distance between them so she could be safe from his punches while launching her kicks.

"It's like all you can do is run away. Here I thought you would be a more interesting opponent."

She smiled confidently while dancing around his strikes. "Boxing only permits you to use your fists offensively, but my kickboxing style allows for free usage of all four limbs! You'll never beat me with only your fists."

"It's not the style that matters, it's the fighter." He retorted with a grin, using his own footwork to dodge.

"Your technique may be strong, but it's too predictable to be of any use against a real opponent." Karin straightened her glasses and stood in one place, casually weaving back and forth with the rhythm of his punches to demonstrate her point.

Small beads of sweat began forming on his forehead. "Still running away?" he jeered in an attempt to trip her up.

"As expected, you're completely missing the point." Karin stated with a note or arrogance. "I noticed how you jab with the right fist often, while you reserve your left hand for finishing moves. It's a pity, since the latter appears to be both stronger and faster."

"So you're saying I'm predictable… Thanks for the advice, but what're you gonna do about this!" Takeda jabbed several times while alternating the use of both fists before reversing the order of his strikes.

Karin began backing away from him while using her arms to block his movements, occasionally throwing in a kick in an attempt to put him on the defensive again. As this exchange continued, Choji was barely able to keep up with his opponent. So far his opponent had been dominating the fight, but making it difficult to get a hit in, let alone have any chance of winning.

"This isn't looking good…" Choji muttered between labored breaths. Despite the agony coursing through his body, he refused to break his Hung Gar stance.

The enemy fighter ran a hand through his ivory locks, a merciless expression on his face. "I learned Aikido from some of the greatest masters in the world. You should have walked away rather than brought this upon yourself."

By this point Kimimaro had removed his cloak entirely, revealing his open-chested robes and combat gear. Despite having a smaller frame than his adversary, the white-haired man was strong and limber, and his techniques nearly unavoidable at close range. To Choji, it felt as though every time he launched an attack, the enemy would return the favor tenfold, but at the same time he couldn't just sit there and wait to die.

"Are you done stalling, or will you face death like a true fighter?" he questioned.

The larger fighter slammed his right foot against the ground, causing it to rumble. "Don't get cocky, you haven't killed me yet!"

Without another word, Kimimaro darted forwards and kneed the Akamichi in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain. He seized the overweight man by the arm and prepared to perform a throw, but Choji retaliated by pushing himself under his opponent's arm and thrusting his entire body upwards, lifting Kimimaro into the air with his shoulder and using his opposite arm to grab a hold of the flailing man's leg. Pressing all of his weight into the assault, Choji slammed his opponent downwards.

Kimimaro looked mildly surprised by the boy's move, but managed to break free of the hold and propelled himself to safety by pressing his hands against the ground, landing on his feet behind his opponent. Choji spun around and grabbed onto the enemy's robes with his hands in an attempt to crush him with a downward smash, but Kimimaro effortlessly shoved him backwards with his left hand grabbing Choji's head with his right hand and flipping him onto the ground face first. Lying facedown, the Konoha disciple pressed his hands against the ground and began pushing himself back up.

"You haven't been able to score a single hit on me, and yet you still desire to fight." The white-haired fighter commented with a note of irritation.

With some effort, the Hung Gar user forced himself into lashing out at his enemy. "Shove off! I'm not done yet!"

"Yes you are…" the other man replied coolly, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

He sidestepped Choji's sloppy move and seized him by the wrist, driving him back into the dirt with another flip. Rather than release the Konoha disciple's wrist, he tightened his grip and wrenched his arm back, snapping it in the opposite direction of the joint, resulting in a loud cracking noise. Choji screamed as he felt his arm snap, but the man on top of him pounded him in the center of the back with a powerful elbow movement, preventing him from rising again. Choji felt his heart skip as the sensation of cold steel touched his neck.

"Your arm is shattered, you skull fractured, and your ribs broken." Kimimaro turned the knife in his hand sideways to make a point. "I can see the shadow of death creeping onto your visage. Surrender or die. The choice is yours."

"Just give up before he kills you!" Sakura screamed from beside the other bystanders, her eyes wide with terror.

"Your no good to my master plans dead!" Nijima nodded in agreement, his own eyes widening in shock as he realized the genius boy was missing.

Before anyone else could move in to help, Shikamaru appeared behind the enemy and swatted the weapon out of his hand. Kimimaro released his previous opponent and shunted sideways to avoid a series of focused jabs. To the Aikido user's surprise, his new opponent turned his back towards him and knelt down over Choji.

"Hey, you all right?" the lazy fighter prodded his friend with the tip of his foot, his expression becoming more relaxed as the boy began to stir.

"Don't think I'll be able to move properly for while, but I'll live." The larger man replied.

"What a drag, and I was sitting back hoping not to get pulled into this." Shikamaru cracked his neck lazily before turning to face their opponent. He spared a quick glance at his best friend. "Just lie there and rest while I finish up this fight."

Kimimaro's stoic mannerisms remained unchanged by this new development. "You plan to take your friend's place, than so be it. It's very admirable that you're willing to stake your own life in the place of a companion."

Konoha's genius took a boxing stance, looking slightly more focused than usual. "We're both teammates and friends back at the dojo. I doubt you would be able to say the same thing about the thugs of Team Hebi."

"Hmmm… Yes, I don't suppose I would." The white-haired man agreed in a neutral tone. "So, are you prepared to fight me till the death?"

"I'm against killing, but whether or not you want to do it isn't really my business." He replied with a note of indifference.

As Shikamaru prepared to resume his friend's lost battle, Ino was still trying to finish up hers. While she had received wounds from several of Kagero's throwing needles, her agility and limited medical knowledge had allowed her to avoid taking any fatal injuries. It had been a pretty close battle so far, with neither side particularly dominating the other. Without her pre-made traps, the pale girl was a lesser threat than when she fought Lee, but was still more than able to survive in direct combat.

Kisara had been holding her own for a while, but it felt like she was fighting an uphill battle. The enemy never seemed to tire and seemed to recover instantly from any damage she took, while the Taekwondo user lacked the same qualities. In addition to that, the enemy's Drunken Fist style of combat was extremely difficult to read.

"Having trouble, washboard?" Guren screamed loudly, her comment enraging the redhead.

"Throwing insults instead of punches, huh? That kind of tactic really screams desperation."

The blue-haired women collapsed on the ground, rolled past her opponent, popped back up, and aimed a sloppy punch. Kisara instinctively dodged the feint only to regret it moment later when Guren stopped mid-step and landed a kick with her left leg, using her opposite leg to trip the other woman. Although Kisara tried to catch herself mid-fall, Guren quickly darted behind her and grabbed on her shirt, ripping it in two with a single tug.

"What the Hell was that!?" Kisara elbowed her opponent before struggling to cover herself.

"That bra looks like an A, definitely not much compared to someone like me." Guren jeered with a mocking gesture to her own bust.

"You bitch! I'll kill you for that!" the redhead blushed violently as she ran towards the enemy at full speed, blinded by feelings of embarrassment and rage.

The Drunken Fist user licker her rose-red lips in vindictive excitement. "Oh my… Letting your emotions get the best of you in the middle of a fight is an amateur mistake." She stated with a note of amusement.

Guren focused the strength in her right arm, focusing all of her physical strength into a single limb. Usually her muscle enhancements made it so that she could deliver powerful blows without having to exert herself in a fight, so she rarely was forced to use one hundred percent of her power. This was only the second time recently she had felt the need to use her peak strength against an enemy, the first time being her battle with Siegfried.

She took advantage of the opening made by Kisara's carelessness and smashed her in the stomach with full force, sending her flying across the grounds like a broken ragdoll. Although she screamed in pain at first, her eyes went blank and her cries soon ceased. Sakura ran the length of the field and caught Kisara in her arms, the force of their bodies colliding sending both girls rolling across the dirt.

The blue-haired woman approached the duo with a sickening expression. "So pinkie, do you wanna take me on next?"

Sakura made sure that Kisara was still breathing before turning on the green-haired woman. "If you want to pick a fight with me so badly, than I'll be happy to oblige."

"I consider this payback for you and your friend attacking me when my guard was down during our last encounter. Even though you both jumped me from behind, I haven't forgotten either of your faces!"

"Considering you were trying to kill someone, I do not regret stepping in." the pink-haired girl clenched her fists, her eyes moving back to the unconscious girl lying behind her. "I'll be sure to make this quick so that I can tend to the wounded."

Before either of them could aim a strike, a third figure stepped between them, her eyes alive with a sense of strength that Sakura had never seen before. Hinata Hyuga held an arm out in front of her friend protectively and focused on the enemy.

"Take care of the others… I'll handle this in your place." She turned back to her new friend with an uneasy smile.

"Hinata!?" Sakura was surprised by the shy girl's sudden change in demeanor. It was such a far cry from her usual self that she found herself wondering. "You don't have to do this! I'm the one who she's after, not you!"

The pale-eyed girl shook her head nervously, her strong demeanor slipping for a moment. "I may not like fighting, but you need to tend to the others and keep them safe. This is the least I can do to help you guys… Please, let me do this for you."

A strong understanding fell between the two girls as they exchanged glances, and after a moment of consideration, Sakura nodded firmly. "All right, I'll leave this to you."

As the medic carried Kisara to safety, Hinata took up her stance and faced Guren. As their eyes met, the young Hyuga felt her confidence waver before the older woman's cold stare, but she swallowed the lump that had begun to form in her throat and prepared to fight. Guren shifted her own body to the side and extended an arm, looking interested that someone had actually volunteered for the slaughter.

"Look at your fingers, you're quivering like a leaf in the wind. Are you sure this is what you really want?" Guren placed one hands on her hip and smirked.

Hinata felt her hands shaking, but remedied it by clenching them into fists. "It doesn't matter how I feel about fighting you. I still won't let you hurt them!"

The older woman seemed to find her comment humorous. "If that's how you want to play the game, I won't hold anything back."

The Hyuga heiress readied herself for a battle, but a paralyzing aura piecing the air diverted the attention of the female combatants One of the cloaked figures who had been standing away from the fray walked onto the scene, his presence causing several fighters to glance up from their own battles to watch. The newcomer walked with a sense of untapped superiority, causing both friend and foe alike to tense up.

"That's enough Guren… Leave this girl to me." The hooded man spoke. Hinata felt her heart skip a beat as she heard the sound of his voice, but she tried to conceal her surprise.

"She challenged me to battle, not you! I don't intend to just back down and allow such nerve to go unpunished."

Her comment made him sigh in frustration, but a moment later his aura flared up. "That wasn't a request!" he screamed, causing both girls to jump in surprise.

The newcomer raised a hand and smashed Guren in the shoulder with his palm, slamming her in the chest and again in the back with lightning fast wrist movements. She stood completely still with her face frozen in shock for a second before coughing up a mouthful of blood and falling to her knees. Despite being on the same side, her attacker showed no remorse as he struck Guren in the neck with his knee, causing her collapse motionlessly into the dirt.

"It's been quite a long time, hasn't it Hinata?" the man removed his black drape, revealing white and gray robes reminiscent of the Hyuga Clan's traditional garb.

Hinata blinked in shock, her suspicions all but confirmed. "Can it be!? Are you really?" her hands began shaking as memories of her cousin flooded back to her.

Neji noticed her mannerisms, but his expression remained cold and daunting. "It's been a long time since our last encounter, and yet you seem just as fragile and hesitant as before." He smiled at the thought. "Was Lord Hiashi was such a poor teacher, that he was never able to help you overcome these shortcomings."

"Wh-Why are you doing this? Please explain to me…" she choked out, her entire body freezing as their eyes met for the first time in years.

He ignored her questions and continued without pause. "Guren may have been a lowly piece of slime, but even she noticed your weakness. Such behavior is unbecoming of the one whose duty it is to carry on the legacy of the Hyuga Family!"

"My title was handed down to Hanabi." Hinata looked away from her cousin as if it pained her to meet his gaze. "I was considered to be unworthy of the honor by my father."

The elder cousin folded his arm with a stiff nod. "You are a disgrace in more ways than you can imagine, not only to the name of the Hyuga, but also to the world of martial arts. It is for this reason that I cannot allow anyone else to take you life but me."

A sense of righteous anger came to her cheeks. "If you have any pride in either of those things, than why are you doing on the side of the Killing Fist? What could possibly have convinced you to leave our family behind in favor of this?"

Neji closed his eyes for a moment, his expression darkening considerably. "You have no idea how unfair the world is, but I have long since come to understand that the concepts of peace and justice are false constructs created by humanity in order to maintain order. It is all a lie!"

"You must tell me why you feel this way!" she implored, extending a hand to him.

"One such as you who was born with everything has no right to speak to me like that!" he retorted, his composure slipping.

"What do you man by that? You can't just go around saying such terrible things without any explanation!"

"It matters not!" Neji replied flatly, shaking his head with disdain. "Enough of these games, Hinata. If you have the pride of a real martial artist, then hold you head up high and except my challenge as a fellow member of the Hyuga Clan! If you do not fight back, I will kill you where you stand along with your friends!"

Hinata swallowed nervously, her eyes moving towards her new companions before settling back on her cousin. She exhaled deeply and took a stance, a sense of righteous anger flashing through her eyes. "Defend yourself!" she declared.

The elder Hyuga looked surprised by her sudden change of demeanor, but the thought also brought a grin to his face. "I look forward to seeing if your abilities can live up to your bravado."

Both fighters placed one hand under the elbow of their opposite arm, extending the palm forward as they begun to circle each other. To anyone watching it would've looked like a mirror due to the identical stance they employed as practitioners of the Baguazhang style. Without warning, the female fighter widened her stance and thrust her hand forward, but Neji predicted the movement and stepped back, extending his opposite foot and shifting his stance so that he was standing behind her.

She sensed his approach and crouched to avoid his strike, jumping up as he performed a sweeping kick to the ground, while lurching forward to avoid his rapid palm thrusts. Hinata spun around and countered each of the oncoming strikes with her own movements, but despite her best efforts she was having trouble staying in the fight, let alone land an attack. He smashed he several time in the chest, throat, and limbs, but she powered on through.

They exchanged palm strikes with neither fighter letting up, but after a minute or so, Hinata was forced to stop the exchange and leap away. The female Hyuga breathed laboriously, having taken a couple of hits during the exchange, but her cousin's breathing remained normal and he was completely untouched by her barrage. While Hinata was rendered light-headed by the constant stream of attacks, the elder fighter hadn't so much as broken a sweat.

"Looks like that girl just might be able to give him a challenge after all." Jugo muttered more to himself than anyone else.

The hooded figure standing beside him seemed irritated by the comment. "Look again, you imbecile! He's not even trying." The Devil Fist glanced at the Hyuga pair again. "Still, I've never seen him Neji so shaken up during a fight. It's unlike him…"

As the two cousins waged their battle, the two remaining commanders continued to watch the battle from a distance. Sasuke seemed satisfied as Kimimaro gained the upper hand against Shikamaru, while Karin pummeled a worn out Takeda with her fists, although she was beginning to look a little ragged herself. Guren was clearly out cold from her encounter with Neji, but Kagero had clearly been worn down by her fight to the point where even one direct hit from Ino could probably end it.

"Damn it… You gonna keep dodging all afternoon, or what?" Suigetsu sneered as he advanced on the green-clad karate user.

Lee weaved around constantly while trying to exploit an opening. "Normally I would prefer to strike an enemy down without mercy, but I am not foolish enough to believe that my assault is powerful enough to smash through your defense."

Sasuke sighed as he watched the remaining battles raged on, but was clearly not amused by the proceedings. He had been expecting a much bigger challenge from the enemy, but so far they had fallen far below his expectations. Even more pathetic was that he hadn't even summoned all of Team Hebi's main offensive forces for this attack, and yet they were still winning without much of a struggle.

He scoffed at the idea of stepping in personally, having lost interest at this point. The gang leader glanced over at his most trusted subordinate and nodded slowly. "I've grown tired of watching this mayhem unfold… Go put an end to this, now."

"Yes sir." Jugo answered quickly before stepping into the battlefield himself.

The fiery-haired giant let go of his emotions, releasing all of his inhibitions in a large burst of ki that blanketed the entire battlefield. A rush of adrenaline coursed through his body, causing momentary discomfort for the large man. He grasped the side of his head with an irritable grown, but in a matter of moments, an evil leer contorted his features, and his usually calm face became like that of a savage animal. Feeling his untapped desire to kill, he let out a feral scream, causing several of his teammates to cringe in fright.

Takeda paused mid-punch, frozen in fear. "What on Earth was that?"

"The sound of your death!" Karin replied quickly before dashing away as fast as her legs would carry her.

"Where do you cowards think you're going?" Ino shouted after the enemy fighters.

Kagero leapt several feet into the air, landing on top of a broken fence. "It appears the Devil Fist has grown impatient… I'm afraid we may not see each other again."

Lee noticed the others leaving and looked concerned. Care to explain what's going on?"

Suigetsu turned his back to the green-clad boy and slung his sword over is shoulder. "Keep asking for all the good it'll do." He jeered with a sharp-toothed smile. "In about ten seconds you're gonna wish I had been the one to smash your skull open."

"What the Hell does that mean?" Ino called after her opponent, but the enemies simply fled.

Shikamaru came running over to join the others closely followed by Takeda, his calm visage displaying small signs of panic. "Hey guys, I think we've got some trouble! My opponent just ran off when he felt that dark killing intent in the air."

"Why is the enemy suddenly retreating? It makes no sense!" Lee raised a thick eyebrow.

"Look out!" Takeda screamed, prompting the group to scatter as a shadow descended from above their heads.

As if to answer their questions, Jugo landed in the midst of the assembled fighters with a loud thud, leaving behind a small imprint beneath his feet. His eyes were wide with an unstable sense of bloodlust that seemed primal in nature, but his sheer presence was intimidating enough without that. He stood up to his full height, looking even more monstrous than before while easily dwarfing any one of the others with his sheer size. Flailing his arms violently, the giant attempted to clobber them, prompting his targets to back away in fear.

"Crap, that's the guy who almost killed Thor!" Takeda spit out the blade of grass in his mouth, his cool-guy personality slipping away completely.

Lee hesitated for a second before squashing his doubt. "Really now, this prove quite interesting."

Jugo let out a sick laugh as he lunged at the green-clad fighter, forcing him to jump out of the larger man's reach. Seeing his insane level of speed, Ino landed a kick to his shin, stopping him just in time to save her bushy-browed friend. Although he managed to escape unscathed, the giant's hand came less than an inch from closing around Lee's ankle. Jugo began punching and swiping at Ino, but Shikamaru managed to score a few punches to his gut.

"Now you die!" the orange-haired man swatted the lazy genius away with the side of his hand, the gesture cracking several of the enemy's ribs in the process.

Takeda grabbed Shikamaru by the arms as his injured form was sent flying back, but Jugo responded by charging them. "Oh shit!" the blue-haired boxer shouted, unable to move while supporting the other man's weight.

Ukita grabbed the pair by the back if their shirts and yanked them to safety as he ran by, as Lee nailed Jugo in the face with a flying kick. Jugo attempted to pile drive the karate disciple into the ground, but the green-clad boy was rescued from a possible death as Siegfried entered the fray. Pirouetting into the air, the composer seized Lee by the ankle and tossed him to safety while kicking his feet off of Jugo's chest to propel himself away from the rampaging fighter.

"I may not be the strongest guy in the world, but I couldn't let the rest of you have all the fun." Ukita clapped his best friend on the shoulder and smile.

"Glad you made it on time, buddy." Takeda flashed him a thumbs-up and smirked.

"Look out!" Shikamaru forced their heads down as their opponent picked up a piece of the broken fence surrounding Shinpaku HQ, and tossed it at them.

The two friend exchanged similar glances, before Takeda spoke again. "Thanks for the head-up, kid. We owe you one for that!"

"Let's not start keeping track of who owes who… I don't think any of us have the luxury." Konoha's genius retorted with a grimace. "Team Hebi must be pretty confident that this guy can kill us all if they were killing to send him out alone."

Siegfried twirled around to avoid getting flattened by an oncoming punch, his counter attacks doing little to injure the enraged enemy. "This man fights like a real monster! There has to be some way to halt his rampage."

Lee crunched his knuckles. "We kick his butt until he stops moving."

"We're all injured fro, our previous battles, yet you make it sound so easy!" Ino replied with a role of her eyes, her own endurance having been spent during her battle with Kagero. "At this point I'd just be happy if we manage to survive in one piece."

"Dually noted. Miss Yamanaka…" Siegfried called out as they moved into position to attack.

Nijima watched from in front of the Shinpaku building. "Crap, I never expected us to be pushed to the limits." The alien felt his sharpened nails digging into his palms. "Damn it Kenichi, where are you?"

Sakura bit her tongue, sharing the same sentiments about Naruto. "Naruto, get here soon!" she muttered in a frenzied whisper.

Across the battlegrounds, Kagero approached her leader carrying Guren's unconscious form on her shoulders. The green-haired weapon user bowed respectfully, earning his acknowledgement.

"What is it, Kagero?" Sasuke questioned with an air of disinterest.

"It would appear that Neji has refused your orders to retreat and is actively engaging the enemy as we speak. How should the rest of us handle this?"

The Devil Fist relaxed his shoulders and returned his attention to the fights. "The fool does whatever he wants and nothing anyone says is going to stop him. Just leave him be."

Kagero bowed her head compliantly. "As you wish, sir."

As the battle royal continued, the match between cousins was just about over. Neji ran a finger over a crease in his robes and frowned. "I was expecting more of a struggle, but it looks as though you're about to pass out from exhaustion."

"I managed… … to… keep up… … with you… so far." She replied through labored breaths, a drip of blood streaming from the side of her mouth. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to ignore the pain. "Your attacks dealt minimal damage… I'm not finished yet!"

"Are you, now?" he asked with a pronounced glare, his tones sounding deathly serious.

Hinata wondered what he was talking about for a moment, but suddenly she felt an odd burning sensation in her limbs and chest, the agony spreading throughout her entire body in an instant. She tried to move her body, but for some reason it felt as though nothing would respond, and any attempts only resulted in further pain. The girl tried to stand up, but her legs gave out and she landed on her stomach, her neck craned just enough to look up at her cousin.

"Writhing on the ground, just where someone like you deserves to be." He commented, refusing to even look her in the face.

Her eyes widened in terror. "Those techniques you used just now… Could they possibly be?"

"The Hyuga Family's Fist of Death?" he finished for her. "I'm surprised you even considered the possibility, especially considering the circumstances that have existed between the two halves of our clan since Japan's feudal era."

"Only the person destined to be the head of the family is allowed to learn the secret moves." She muttered with a pained expression. "Such things are passed down from parent to child through word of mouth, and have carried down this way for generations. It's just not possible that you could have mastered my father's secret techniques!"

Neji looked down at her condescendingly. "Despite that fact that I was ineligible to receive the necessary teachings, I developed my own variation of our family's techniques through practice and observation."

"You only saw my father perform them once when we were very young… It's not possible."

"Your lack of insight is proof of your own inferiority." He replied coldly.

Hinata tried to look up at him, but found herself still unable to move properly. "What!?"

"I was a noted prodigy as a child, but because of the circumstances of my birth, I was never considered worthy enough to inherit the legacy of our family. Despite being a talentless worm, you were given this honor." The elder cousin explained.

"You would forsake your beliefs for that reason alone?" she asked incredulously.

"The source of my anger runs far deeper than you could possibly imagine, but I see no reason why you need to know anything else." Neji raised his right palm with a cold expression. "You may have lived the life of a failure, but at the very least, I shall grant you a warrior's death."

Neji brought his hand down in a powerful swiping motion in an attempt to deliver the finishing blow, but a hand wrapped around his wrist from behind, stopping his motion mid-way. Both cousins looked up just in time to see Naruto's smiling face and whisker marks, his spiky blonde hair glistening against the afternoon sun. He aimed a kick as the elder Hyuga, but Neji jumped backwards to avoid it, landing several feet away.

"N-Naruto…" Hinata stuttered, her cloudy eyes wide with shock.

"Oh, hey Hinata." Naruto greeted with a reassuring smile. "We just happened to be in the neighborhood when I saw this jerk trying to stick his fist through your neck."

Sasuke's eye twitched at the sound of his former friend's voice, his aura darkening as the Devil Fist remembered the last time they spoke to each other. Although he did his best to hide his annoyance, the shift in his demeanor did not go unseen by several of his subordinates. He was a little surprised that the idiot had chosen now to make his entrance, but thinking back Naruto always did have a habit of popping in at the most inopportune times.

Neji noticed that the blonde boy wasn't even looking at him, and quickly became annoyed. "This is a conflict between children of the Hyuga Clan. A stranger like you has no right to interfere!"

Konoha's top student squinted at his attacker before looking down at his injured companion, taking a moment to process the last statement in his mind. "HOLD ON!" he screamed, doing another inspection. "Wait a minute! Is this dude related to you, Hinata?"

"He's… my cousin." She replied weakly, at this point barely able to keep her eyes open.

"You'll be all right." He comforted her with a warm smile, causing the half-conscious girl to feel an unfamiliar heat in her cheeks.

"Thank you, Naruto." After a second, she felt the sensation of being lifted from behind by a certain pink-haired medic.

"Naruto, you made it!" Sakura replied, sound both surprised and relieved.

"Take her to safety, let me deal with this lowlife. He answered quickly, prompting her to follow his instructions without argument. Once they were a safe distance, he turned on the enemy fighter. "Hey asshole! Care to explain to me what kind of man attacks his own cousin and then tries to kill her?

"A moron like you obviously lacks the sensibilities to understand such things, nor is the substance of this battle any of your business." The elder Hyuga stated emotionlessly.

Naruto bared his teeth. "I honestly don't care what you were thinking or for what reason, but anyone who tries to hurt my friends has to deal with me first!"

Neji raised an eyebrow. "If that is what you wish." He paused momentarily. "Introduce yourself! I prefer to know the names of the ones that I fight as a measure of respect."

"You got a lot of nerve lecturing me about respect!" the blonde quipped, his anger rising. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, the Number One Disciple of Konoha!"

"My name is Neji Hyuga." the other man replied, gesturing casually towards the other battle going on behind them. "Hopefully you'll prove stronger than your friends over there. It doesn't look like Jugo's planning to let any of them live."

"Damn… I gotta end this quick and save the others." Naruto gasped.

Neji thrust his palm forward, forcing the boy to dodge. "It's not a likely scenario." He replied in a completely indifferent tone. "You'll be lucky enough to be alive once our battle ends."

Although Naruto tried to escape his current battle, reinforcements soon arrived on the opposite front. Ino screamed as their giant opponent prepared to snap her in half, but before he could finish her off, a shape came spiraling down from above, planting both feet into the large man's face, and causing him to drop her. Ino rolled over and scurried away from the savage fighter just in time to catch sight of a familiar face.

Ino immediately recognized the face of busty blonde who hung out with Kenichi all the time, but something about her was different. Maybe it was the lack of glasses or the different hairstyle that explained it, but the girl also bore herself with an air of confidence that seemed in sharp contrast with the more reserved personality she portrayed in school.

"Honey!?" Takeda shouted, blinking twice out of surprise.

"It's Miu!" Siegfried concurred, looking cheerful to see her presence on the battlefield.

"Hey guys, what's up?" she smiled back at the Shinpaku members while dancing around Jugo's animalistic punches. "Hope you don't mind that we showed up a little bit late, but Kenichi and Naruto had a sparring match back at the dojo."

Shikamaru watched in awe as the girl twirled and spun, her graceful movements making her almost untouchable. "So that's the granddaughter of the Invincible Superman." He muttered with a look of surprise.

Nijima shoved one of his lackey's aside as he ran into the field. "Never mind that, where the Hell is Kenichi?"

"We lost a few blocks back, but he should be getting here soon!" she called over her shoulder, barely moving in time to avoid another strike. Miu landed out of his reach, looking slightly bothered by the encounter. "It's been a while since I've fought someone this strong."

"Don't let your guard down!" Shikamaru warned, still unsure whether or not they had much of a chance.

Meanwhile, Karin glanced over at her superior with a look of disbelief. "Is that girl actually fighting Jugo in his beast mode!? That's impossible! No one can take him on when he releases his Dou and gives himself over to untapped rage."

"That girl happens to be the descendent of one of the most powerful fighters alive." Sasuke replied with a note of amusement. "I look forward to seeing how the Furinji fighting style compares against Jugo's instinctive killing technique."

"Stand still, girl!" Jugo screamed, flailing his arms around in a volley of punches with enough force to shatter boulders.

Miu leapt into the air again to distance herself from the onslaught. "He's a lot better than I thought!" she replied with a pleasantly surprised expression. "Not only is he powerful and fast, but that monstrous killing intent seems on par with most expert-level martial artists."

The fiery haired giant shunted to the side and followed her movements with his speed, easily catching up to her with a single dashing motion. He brought attempted to grab the busty girl in an attempt to use his Pankration deathblows, but she managed to move a fraction of a second before his hand come down, kicking his wrist with a twirling kick. Jugo charged forward in an attempt to strike her down, but was stopped as a small shape darted beneath his guard and nailed him in the torso with a two-handed punch.

"Hey guys! Kenichi made it too!" Ino shouted over the din, once again impressed by the fighting abilities of her fellow gardener.

Nijima popped up from over her shoulder, throwing his arms in the air in celebration. "I knew you'd show up eventually! We never lost faith in ya!"

"Weren't you the one complaining earlier about him not showing up." Shikamaru pointed out with a frown.

"Not to mention this annoying freakazoid is one of the reasons why he doesn't like to attend the meetings." Ukita added in.

"Who asked you two?" the alien leader barked, his eyes sliding back towards the battles. "The important thing is that our ace fighters arrived in the nick of time, just when the enemies sent out their own big guns. At least now we might have a chance of winning."

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes at the Devil Fist standing across the battlefield. "Something makes me doubt that."

Nijima fired up instantly at the assertion. "What are you babbling about now, pineapple head? This isn't the time to start bagging on our chances."

"The enemy's boss hasn't even moved yet, and the rest of us are in pretty bad shape." The genius subconsciously clutched his dislocated arm and winced as the pain returned. "We haven't even seen what their leader is capable of, so I wouldn't start counting my eggs before they hatch."

"I'm gonna have to agree with Spock just this once… Your way of thinking sounds more like the attitude of a loser!" Ino sniped with an irritated look.

Her friend sighed hopelessly. "What a pain. I think you've been spending way too much time with Master Anko lately."

As the others watched the battles from their respective sides, Naruto was beginning to feel the heat. He had never fought someone before who used such a refined fighting style. Compared to Naruto's aggressive techniques that relied mostly on physical strength and breath control, Neji's movements were rooted almost entirely in precise movements and forms, and for some reason, the blonde teen couldn't even get close to him.

He had spent several minutes trying to find a weakness in the enemy's movements, but the Hyuga prodigy was so fast and powerful that any attempt to do so would probably result in the loss of his limbs. He had see the ending blows of the earlier fight with Hinata, and Naruto was terrified by the idea that someone could completely disable another person's body without using a lethal force amount of force.

"Damn, it's just no good!" Naruto mumbled as he used his own strikes to block rather than attack, the feelings of frustration growing in his chest. "How did you get so good?"

Despite it being a rhetorical question, Neji chose to answer it. "You clearly lack the capacity to understand what it means to be completely outclassed." He explained in a matter-of-fact tone.

He grumbled incoherently, but suddenly his frustration faded into a smirk. "Talk like a jackass all you want, but I haven't completely lost this fight yet."

"I was touted among my family's youngest fighters as genius the likes of which our clan has not seen in several generations. A moron like you may have obtained the title of Konoha's greatest student, but it means nothing if you cannot defend that title against all challengers!"

Despite his confident exterior, Naruto felt a little bit uncomfortable on the inside. The enemy's palms were moving so fast that they seemed almost like blurs, and if this weren't bad enough, Neji also combined his tactics with strange stepping maneuvers that made it seem like he was teleporting around within the small area around their bodies. This deadly combo made him seem almost untouchable, and the idea that a single touch from the enemy could be his end, made Naruto infinitely more nervous.

"Wait a minute…" Naruto muttered to himself, his eyes glittering with a sudden realization.

While trying to read his opponent's movements, he came the realization that he had seen this method of fighting somewhere before. The movements were reminiscent of Master Kurenai's Baguazhang style, but the motions reminded him of something else. Although Naruto couldn't quite remember exactly what at the moment, he came to the conclusion that if there wasn't an obvious opening, he would be forced to make one for himself.

The blonde fighter thrust his fist into the torrent of palms, absorbing several of the hits with his left arm. While he soon lost the feeling in his limb, the direct strike had slowed the enemy's pattern just enough for him to thrust his own fist through the enemy's defense, his fist connecting with the side of Neji's face. The Hyuga felt saw the strike coming, but was unable to move in time to avoid the punch due to its speed and ferocity. The force of the blow broke his stance, sending the prodigy hurtling backwards.

Neji caught himself in mid-fall and righted his position, still feeling the throbbing pain in his right cheek as he returned to his feet. "You bastard… To think you actually managed to penetrate my ultimate defense!"

"Every defense has a weakness, and it looks like I just found yours!" Naruto forced a smile, despite having lost the use of his left arm. He tried to move his joint, but all the most he could do was shift the ends of his fingers.

"It would appear it cost you a great deal just to score a single hit. To think you had to give up your left arm just to graze me." Neji used a finger to wipe the line of blood leaking from his jaw.

"You're pretty good, but what I really wanna know is what kind of technique you're using to defend yourself?"

The older fighter's expression remained focused with a sense of superiority. "By maneuvering my limbs properly, I can use them to create an impenetrable circle around my entire body. It requires a completely calm mind, but the process results in the ultimate offense and defense."

Naruto almost slapped himself as he remembered where he had seen it. "The Seikuken!" he murmured, sounding foolish or having not noticed it earlier.

"Apparently you are not as ignorant as you appear." Neji replied with a stiff nod, his serious expression dispelling to reveal a look of interest. "I must admit, it's been quite a while since anyone has been able to penetrate my Seikuken. You are to commended for your efforts."

"I don't need compliments from a jerk like you!" Konoha's disciple retorted with a distasteful squint.

"Say what you will, but it no longer matters. Now that you have lost the use of one of your limbs, any chances you had of victory have dissipated."

The blonde fighter prepared to protest, but in the blink of an eye, Neji was already beginning to close the gap. He raised his palms and began thrusting his arms in a combination of complex motions, but Naruto found it much harder to keep up this time. Konoha's top student faltered for a moment before swinging his body around, block a strike with his motionless arm by moving his shoulder in a sloppy motion and using his other hand to absorb the strikes directed towards vital points.

"I see you are using your paralyzed limb as a shield… Resourceful as it is, such a move reeks of desperation. Yield, it is the only option!"

"Go ahead and give me your best shot! So long as I'm alive, I'll never stop fighting back!"

Neji inclined his head and focused for a second before nodding compliantly. "If that is what you truly desire, then very well." He positioned his arms into parallel angles and opened both palms.

"If you're gonna do it, than do it already!" Naruto pulled his right arm back and prepared his signature punch, but the enemy showed no signs of fear.

The Hyuga wait until his adversary was within the range of his Seikuken before acting. Once the fist was inches from his face, Neji maneuvered past his attacker with two stepping movements, smashing him in the back and crushing a pressure point in his opposite arm. With considerable effort, Naruto turned around to defend himself, but Neji swatted him away with a movement of his left palm before slammed the younger teen directly in the heart with both hands together.

"It's all over…" Neji prepared to strike the blonde-haired boy with his finishing movement, but a third figure jumped between them and struck both fighters in the torso area, sending them both flying away from each other.

"What the Hell are you doing?" Naruto screamed, his joints quaking like the supports on an old building. He stood back up, looking angry that someone had interrupted the fight regardless of what was about to happen.

Kenichi lowered his arms and wiped away the beads of sweat dripping down his face. "Phew, looks like I managed to get over here just in time, huh Naruto?" he asked with a pleasant smile.

Konoha's disciple coughed violently. "You jerk, I could've taken him just fine if you hadn't gotten in the way!"

"I won't ask you to thank me, but I don't care whether or not you're grateful. I'm not the kind of man who would let his friends die."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment he remembered saying the same thing many times in the past. "Thanks… I guess…" he muttered stubbornly, his annoyance evaporating as quickly as it came.

The Hyuga prodigy glared at them, his killing intent causing them both to look back at their mutual enemy. "Regardless of your reasoning, interrupting a fight between two martial artists before the winner is decided is unforgivable. Who do you think you are?"

"My name is Kenichi Shirahama, and I'm the Number One Disciple of Ryozanpaku."

"Accept the consequences of your actions, Kenichi Shirahama." Neji began, his grim expression earning a puzzled expression from the brown-haired boy. "If you desire to save your friend, then take his place as my opponent!"

"Not chance! I'm the guy who's gonna beat your ugly mug!" Naruto thundered.

"You had your chance, now get back and let me fight him." Kenichi held his arm out.

"If that crap's supposed to convince me, then I'm not buying it! Besides, doesn't Miu need help fighting that orange-haired freak?"

"That's really doubtful." Ryozanpaku's disciple answered bewilderedly. "That girl could kick my ass with her hands tied and her legs bound if she really had to. And besides, Takeda promised me he would handle it if something happened to me."

Neji took a step towards them, forcing their attention back to him. "I may just save the time and fight you both together."

The blonde opened his mouth to agree, but Kenichi stepped past him and squared up to their opponent. "I'll be your next opponent… Let's go!"

Both fighters struck at the same time their fists flying at amazing speeds, but neither scoring any hits as the battle neared the minute mark. Naruto was surprised by the strange phenomenon, but upon taking a closer look for himself, he could make out the line where Kenichi's Seikuken was encroaching into the area of Neji's Seikuken. It seemed as though the Hyuga prodigy's dome had a much wider range around his body, but the more concentrated barrier around Kenichi's form seemed to be somewhat stronger.

What bothered Naruto right now was the sheer ferocity with which Kenichi was fighting, and how refined his techniques were compared to their sparring match earlier. The boy he had defeated earlier that day and the person now matching Neji on the battlefield seemed like completely different fighters, and it made him wonder how someone he defeated could possibly fight with an enemy that he was nearly powerless against.

The battle continued like this for several minutes with Neji trying to execute his family's death fist techniques properly, but was becoming increasingly frustrated. Whenever he went in for the kill, Kenichi would dodge by a tiny interval, smack his hands away, and aim his own attacks, making it extremely difficult for Neji to focus and prepare. Kenichi thought back to his fight with his old friend Ryuto Asamiya, noting that no opponent had fought so fiercely against him till today.

Shikamaru watched with interest, looking unusually engrossed by the display. "So that's what happens when two fighters execute their Seikuken at the same time… Interesting."

"Sheesh, now that's the understatement of the century." Ino placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "That guy managed to beat Naruto without getting clobbered in the process… I hope Kenichi knows what he's doing, or this is gonna get ugly fast."

"C'mon, Get 'em Kenichi!" Nijima screamed wildly.

Sasuke watched both of the remaining battles, pleasantly surprised that Naruto had managed to injure Neji, and even more surprised that the Ryozanpaku disciples had lasted this long against his strongest subordinates. After several minutes of fighting, Kenichi parted with Neji, allowing both men to take a breather. Although the movements Neji used in Baguazhang were rather soft-handed, he had mixed several of his family's special attacks in to no avail.

"It appears you're an infinitely more interesting opponent than that fool." Neji replied, his eyes settling on the blonde. "Still, it is unbearable to think that an ordinary person with no lineage in he world of martial arts could match blows with me. You must be quite talented…"

"That honestly has nothing to do with it." Kenichi replied resolutely. "I worked very hard to get where I am now, and that's all there is!"

As the two fighters locked glares, Naruto stared between them with confusion. The silence lingered for a few moments, the only sounds coming from the continued battle between Miu and Jugo. Before anyone else could speak up, Team Hebi's cloaked leader stepped onto the scene, his presence pacifying all three men equally. Neji's ironclad gaze bored his supposed commander, but the man seemed completely immune to its normal affects.

"What do you want?" the Hyuga questioned, his voice dripping with venom.

"I think we've done quite enough damage for now." The Devil Fist replied, his voice causing Naruto's head to perk up instinctively. His eyes lingered on the blonde for a moment, but quickly diverged back to his subordinate. "The others have left already… We're pulling out."

Neji sneered irritably, his expression unchanged. "Do what you will, I shall not leave until my battle is finished."

"And so it has." Sasuke stated, his tone threatening anger.

The Hyuga hesitated for a moment as he considered the options, knowing full well that a fight with his superior would do no good at the moment. In his exhausted condition, he was confident that victory was impossible. Gritting his teeth, Neji did a violent neck spasm that was his attempt at a respectful bow. He turned his back to the others and began walking away, quietly retrieving his cloak as he departed the property.

Kenichi took a calm step towards the newcomer, despite being terrified beneath the surface. "Are you the man Team Hebi calls the Devil Fist?" he asked respectfully.

Sasuke spared him a quick nod before crossed the battlefield in a dark blur, instantly appearing behind the rampaging Jugo. Miu took a fighting stance as she tried to factor in the presence of another possible opponent, but the newcomer did not even look at her. Team Hebi's leader placed a hand on the monstrous man's shoulder and focused his killing intent, causing the larger man to snap out of his killing mode.

"We're leaving now." He murmured, earning a nod from his servant.

"As you command, Devil Fist." Jugo bowed his head in a much more respectful manner than Neji before standing down.

As the two men began walking away, Naruto and Kenichi stepped into their path, closely followed by Miu. The duo paused mid-step, and Sasuke felt a sense of powerful anger coming from behind them, only to see the remaining members of the Shinpaku Alliance and the Konoha disciples approaching from behind. Their expressions were a mingled combination of anger, and outrage, while their alien leader appeared to be ecstatic that they had actually "cornered" the rival gang's boss.

"What an idiot, dismissing all your minions like that!" Nijima jeered loudly. "Surrender fool, you're completely surrounded!"

Naruto ignored his antics and began walking laboriously towards the cloaked man. "What was the point of this attack!? What were you hoping to accomplish by hurting all us? Answer and maybe we won't beat you to a pulp!"

"Sir, shall I…" Jugo began, earning him a silencing gesture from his master.

The Devil Fist glanced around at their enemies before taking a step towards his former best friend. "You always an idealistic dobe, but I never could fault your ability to cut to the point, isn't that right Naruto?"

"It just can't be… Can it? There's only one person that ever spoke to me like that!" his eyes lingered on the ground for a moment, his teeth grinding together violently. Naruto swallowed anxiously, his entire body shaking violently as he tried to recover his composure. "Show me your face."

Sasuke removed his hood, causing half of the crowd to react violently. Naruto gasped, Sakura's breathing became shallow, Ino blinked in disbelief, and Lee's bottom jaw dropped to the ground. Of the gathered Konoha disciples bearing witness to the revelation, only Shikamaru remained silent, but this did not mean he was not as disturbed as the others. While the genius had his own suspicions all along, he had not wanted to believe them, and was unwilling to until this moment.

"It's been quite a while, hasn't it?" Sasuke greeted the angry mob casually, looking completely unconcerned by their mixed reactions.

Nijima detected something was up immediately. "Wait a second! Do you know this guy?" he began poking the man next to him repeatedly, hoping to coax an answer out more quickly.

"Quit it!" Shikamaru swatted his hand away. "That's Sasuke Uchiha, a guy that used to be the best student in Konoha. He left a while back for personal reasons and disappeared. Until now, we had no idea where he went or what he was doing."

"Sasuke… Why?" Sakura moved to the head of the crowd, quietly fighting back tears.

Naruto looked saddened himself, but any of those emotions heated into a rage. "Why the Hell are you the leader of Team Hebi? What the fuck happened to you? Weren't we all friends?" the questions poured from his mouth like water from a tap, his anger boiling over when no answer came. "Damn it Sasuke, answer me!"

"We have a right to know, so spit it out!" Ino stomped her foot aggressively.

Lee followed suit. "What kind of horrible experiences caused you to abandon not only your friends, but also your beliefs as a martial artist?"

Silence lingered again for several moments, but it wasn't long before Sasuke broke out into a hysteric yet strangely menacing laughter. "Fools! Even after all these years you imbeciles still don't understand a thing about me!"

"That doesn't explain shit!" Shikamaru finally spoke up, his eyes narrowing with dislike.

The Uchiha dispensed with his laughter and returned to his normally stoic demeanor. "Konoha could not provide me with the tools I needed to accomplish my goals, so I left. It's plain and simple as that."

"Spouting crap like that… You've lost it!" Naruto cried, raising the arm that was still working properly.

"With these eyes, I can see things more clearly than you could possibly imagine." Sasuke pointed to his face with a dark leer. "Konoha is my past, and now both it and the Shinpaku Alliance will be my stepping stones to even greater power."

"Why would you say something like that? Weren't we your friends?" Sakura replied through sharp breaths, her body still unable to cope with the stress.

Team Hebi's leader let out a dry chortle. "I seek only power… Anything else is meaningless to me now!"

"That tears it!" Naruto screamed, his wounded body breaking into a limping run. "I'll make you see reason if it's the last thing I do!"

"What are you waiting for, capture that bastard Devil Fist!" Nijima ordered, causing several of the others to join charge.

Jugo prepared to fight them, but Sasuke raised a hand to stop him. In less than a second, he had repelled Naruto with a high kick and quickly began to fight the others. Moving with Takeda's punches, he nailed the boy in between the eyes with a whip-like movement of his arm, using his opposite hand to catch Ukita by the wrist and throw him at the blue haired boxer. Ino advanced on him from the other side, but Sasuke effortlessly fended off all of her attacks with a single hand before knocking he back with a quick swaying motion.

"Not so fast!" Kenichi activated his Seikuken and rushed at the dark-haired villain.

The Uchiha began stepping backwards out of range and penetrated the self-made barrier by catching both of Kenichi's arms and unleashing a series of one-legged kicks to his groin, using the boy as a shield as Miu tried to attack from above. Using her moment of hesitation, he managed to catch her off guard before sending her flying with a well-placed roundhouse. Although she managed to land on her feet, the force pushed her back several meters, allowing him to clear get past her with Jugo following close behind.

Now standing on a rooftop across from the Shinpaku Headquarters, the Uchiha looked down at his defeated opponents condescendingly. "Hopefully our performance tonight showed you just how futile your chances are. Consider this miserable defeat to be a preview of what lies in store when the day of reckoning arrives."

As the gathered fighters began murmuring amongst each other, Miu approached her best friend. "Kenichi, are you all right?" she extended her hand, helping him to his feet.

"Yeah, just a little shaken up." Kenichi replied, his eyes moving over he torso for a second. After getting his head out of the gutter, he quickly felt frustrated with himself. "I don't get it."

"Get what?" she pressed him.

"How did that guy stop my Seikuken so easily? Not even Ryuto was able to overwhelm me like that." He pondered out loud.

At this, Miu looked extremely concerned. "I'm not sure… One thing I do know is that this guy was definitely not a normal opponent."

The two were quickly interrupted as Naruto stirred a few feet away, his head shooting up like a flower in the spring. Konoha's Number One Disciple was still shaking, but unlike before the pain wasn't caused by his internal injuries. The raging fire within him had grown into and unless inferno, and for the first time in his life, he felt his Dou ki raging out of control. Looking up into he sky, he noticed darker clouds floating in, as if the weather itself was reflecting his inner emotions.

After a moment of holding it in, he screamed at the heavens, his single cry being heard for miles around. Hiruzen Sarutobi was standing on the deck of the dojo's main building as the sound reached his ears, causing him to take a long draft from his pipe. Gently exhaling a stream of smoke from his mouth, he stood still and relaxed as the scent of burning tobacco was scattered to the winds.

"It has begun…" Konoha's elder replied, his eyes focusing on the darkening horizon.

Meanwhile…

"I can't believe the boss left us behind to watch over the base." Loki grumbled, holding a handful of playing cards.

Shino sat across from him with a look of indifference. To pass the time, they had spent the time wandering the halls of the base while taking breaks in between playing cards. So far their games had been inconclusive due to Shino's keen eyes. Despite wearing his sunglasses even while sitting in a dark building, he had caught Loki cheating several times now, easily exposing his exploits and forcing them to start over again. The trickster found this extremely annoying, but for the most part he appreciated a worthy opponent.

"I honestly couldn't care less what the boss does, but I joined up with you people top get revenge on the Shinpaku Alliance." The blue-clad man straightened his trademark goggles with a sneer. "I'm telling you, that kid's really beginning to get on my nerves."

"I'll be certain to tell him that as soon as he returns." Shino replied emotionlessly.

Loki almost fell out of his chair. "Nah, there's no need to worry him with those kinds of details. I'm just frustrated that he hasn't been taking advantage of my talents, despite appointing me as one of the demons of Team Hebi."

The other man folded his arms and exhaled deeply. "You were only given the title as an urgent replacement for that traitor, Haku. At the time we were desperate to fill the ranks, and due to recent events, the situation had complicated considerably."

"Save all that static for someone who cares." Loki replied, tossing his hand down on the table. "Three Jacks! Read-em and weep!" he smirked.

"Three Queens." Shino retorted, throwing down his own hand. "Pay up, Loki!"

The former Fourth Fist grudgingly dug into his pocket and tossed his opponent a small stack of bills. "Son of a bitch!" he spat. "I'll have to win it back next round or I'll be forced to shake down my idiot minions for the rest of the week!"

"Don't complain… You're the one that suggested we play." His opponent replied in an empty drawl.

"Let's play another game! How about Shogi or Othello instead? I've never lost a game before."

Shino adjusted his sunglasses. "I don't suppose cheating had anything to do with it."

"Screw you!" Loki stood up with a grouchy expression, turning his back on the other man. "It's bad enough I'm stuck here like an old guard dog, but being trapped here with you only makes things worse."

When the other man refused to dignify his statement with an answer, Loki turned to leave the room, only to run into someone else. A busty girl wearing goggles, camo-gear, and a helmet bust into the room, clearly out of breath from running. After taking a second to catch her breath, she started babbling incoherently, prompting the former Fourth Fist to shake her violently.

"What's wrong with you, Number 20?" he shouted, causing her to jump a little.

"Loki, you'll never believe what I just saw on the security monitors!" his sidekick waved her arms around as if she were excited and afraid at the same time. "It's something bad… very very very very B-A-D… bad!"

"Shut up and get to the point… C'mon, out with it already!"

"The prisoners just escaped from cellblock D and are already on their way to the rear exit!"

The goggled man slapped his forehead irritably. "You idiot, you should've sent the guards to seal the exits instead of running here like!"

Number 20 shook her head frantically. "I did, but we lost contact with them shortly after they were dispatched!"

Shino stood up from his seat and let out an exasperated sigh. "It looks like we may have no choice but to get involved."

"Damn it to Hell!" Loki screamed, clenching his gloved hand tightly. "Old Devil face isn't going to be happy if the prisoners manage to escape." He turned to the girl sitting beside him. "Well, what're you waiting for? Lead the way!"

As the former Ragnarok duo bolted down the nearest hallway, Shino followed their path slowly, the light shining mysteriously off of the surface of his glasses. Although the high collar on his cloak concealed the lower half of his face, a look of mild amusement came to his lips. After waiting a moment longer in silence, Shino quickened his pace and headed off to investigate the situation for himself.

Note to Readers: This chapter was particularly hard to write, not only due to motivation a issues, but also due to the sheer amount of introductions and fights occurring in a single scene. It's hard to keep track of so many people and what they're doing, and I actually made a small chart in order to plot out everyone's battles properly as the scene evolved. Sorry for any typos or errors in spelling or grammar, but I as usual I typically write this story late at night.

So now Sasuke's identity is no longer a secret to the good guys, and Naruto's not happy to say the least. Sasuke's skills are shown rather briefly this chapter, and even Miu senses how dangerous he is. By now, it should be clear to the readers which fighters represent the bulk of Team Hebi's offensive power.

If you have any suggestions for the story, please share. Even if you can drop a comment, that would be greatly appreciated. Even saying you like it is nice to read. In the meantime, don't forget to **REVIEW**! It motivates me to keep writing this story. Please keep supporting. If you wanna see more, just keep dropping comments.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: The Sting of Defeat**

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or HSDK, or any characters or logos associated with either series. This fan story is made for fun, not profit.

Naruto sighed a he stared up at the sky, quietly thinking about last week's battle. Several days had gone by since their crushing defeat at the hands of a former friend, and the disciples of Konoha had been left with no choice but to explain to their masters what had happened that day. It wasn't as if keeping it a secret would make a difference, but Naruto had been reluctant to say anything. He had no desire to relive everything. The look of pure malice in Sasuke's eyes had sent a shiver down his spine, as if their friendship had happened in another lifetime altogether.

The blonde-haired disciple was lying in the dojo yard, relaxing on the grassy hill where Master Guy kept the karate posts. After several more minutes of idle gazing, he stood up and began pounding his fists against the largest target, his entire body burning with frustration as he considered what Sasuke had said to them. It was ridiculous to imagine that he had turned to the Satsujinken, just because he didn't think much of Konoha. It confused even more trying to figure out what his friend meant by saying that they couldn't give him the tools he needed. They were one of the world's greatest dojos and had trained only the most powerful disciples for ages.

"I just don't get it!" he seethed out loud, the force of his fists violently rattling the pole.

His reaction was hardly unique among the students, who were all drastically affected by the new developments. Ino had been unusually interested in gardening lately, staying long hours tending the school's greenhouse away from the dojo. Sakura buried herself in schoolwork when not training, although even when she was forced to continue by Tsunade, her heart no longer appeared to be in it. Although she wasn't affected as much as the others for obvious reasons, Hinata found herself left alone more often due to the moping of her friends.

Shikamaru continued his life as usual in an attempt to ignore the troubles that had arisen, having taken the responsibility to act as the constant in the hopes that he could anchor the others back into their normal routines. The other boys had intensified their training to insane degrees, with Naruto, Lee, and Choji regularly sparring to vent frustration out on each other while keeping their skills sharp at all times. It had gotten so carried away lately that Sarutobi had to put his foot down when they brawled over a bowl of rice at the dinner table.

Konoha's top student exhaled deeply, his eyes lost in the clouds once more. He had never felt so helpless his entire life. Even that Neji guy had been too much for him, and more surprisingly, someone he had defeated had proved a better match. It not only made him wonder about Kenichi, but also about his own skills as a fighter. Doubt wasn't something Naruto experienced often, and he was hating it.

"Why can't I wrap my head around this!?" he screamed towards the sky, throwing his arms in the air.

"Sheesh, and I thought you couldn't be more of a knucklehead." A bored voice spoke from behind him.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder and frowned. "Oh, it's just you." He replied with a note of disappointment. "Something going on, Shikamaru?"

"I just finished training with Asuma when he told me to come find you for something."

"Care to explain what's going on, or do I have to guess?" he asked with a blank expression.

"I'll get to that in a minute, but there's something I wanna say first." The genius cracked his neck and moved so that he was back was facing Naruto. "I noticed how distracted you've been since that mess with Sasuke last week."

"Who wouldn't be? Finding out someone you knew became a murderer isn't exactly easy to swallow, especially since he used to be one of my best friends."

Shikamaru turned to face him his hands in his pockets. "We've all been affected by this new development, but what I'm really trying to say is that you're letting it get the best of you."

The blonde's expression dropped suddenly, his eyes narrowing. "What the Hell are you going on about, now?" He clenched his fist. "For the past week we've been training ten times harder than usual to handle those Team Hebi jerks, but you're talking about is as if I've given up!"

"I never said you weren't." the other teen replied with an indifferent look, taking a moment to pull his hands from his pockets. "I noticed you've been distracted lately. It's not your fault, but you've been letting the news about Sasuke distract you to the point where your techniques have become sloppy and unfocused."

"I've got all I need to handle you!" Naruto stomped the ground with an aggressive scowl.

The genius reluctantly raised his hands in a boxing stance, having guessed it would take more than a few harsh words to convince his thick-skulled friend. Just because he disliked conflict, didn't mean he would shy away so easily when it was necessary. "If you think it'll prove your point, I'm willing to spare a moment."

"That's more than it'll take for me to knock you down." Naruto thrust his right fist forward with an excited expression. "This last week of Hellish training taught me how to increase the power of my punches using my anger. I can perform some real haymakers now that make my old stuff look tame."

Shikamaru effortlessly dodged the flurry of punches that followed, his eyes widening slightly as he felt the force of the blows in the surrounding air. It was true that Naruto's swings had become noticeably stronger than before, although still not much when compared to a master, it was still a sight to behold. Of course at the same time they were woefully predictable and sloppy, making it easy to follow and not particularly threatening.

The dark-haired disciple waited for a moment before finding an opening and thrusting his own fist into it, landing a direct strike on Naruto's forehead. The force of the blow sent him sprawling backwards the wooden post behind him, causing him to stumble over it while landing on his head. Recovering quickly, Konoha's top student comically sprang back to his feet and prepared to continue, the delayed response of the punch causing him to grab his forehead and scream in pain moments later.

"That was a dirty punch!" Naruto shouted with an angry glare. After locking eyes with his visitor for a moment or two, the blonde found himself feeling suddenly calmer. "Sorry!" he began with an irritable wince. "You're right! I guess I have been a little bit distracted by this mess lately."

The lazy disciple took a moment to loosen his wrists before returning his hands to his pockets. "I had a feeling it would take a bump to the head to illustrate my point. Glad you figured it out before we had to go a few rounds, because I really wasn't in the mood to exert myself on the likes of you."

"Don't get cocky! Just because I said you were right, doesn't mean I couldn't beat you down if we kept going."

"Well look who's being cocky now?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow with a lack of interest, his boredom with the topic becoming more apparent by the second now that it had been resolved. He turned his back to the flustered boy and began walking away.

"Thanks for snapping me out of it. I guess al I needed was a demonstration." Naruto smiled his trademark grin before batting a thumbs-up sign at his fellow disciple.

The other teen sweat dropped as he caught the gesture out of the corner of his eye, guessing that the blonde had been spending too much time with Master Guy. The busy-browed master had made that one of his trademark poses, and at this point it had been done to death. At the same time, Shikamaru was satisfied that he had gotten through to his stubborn friend so easily, but then again it was times like this that was glad for Naruto's simplicity. Not only was Konoha's top student easy to read, but also very easy to manipulate if you knew how to rile him up.

Shikamaru turned again, realizing how close he came to forgetting the other reason he went looking for his friend. "Hey… There's one more thing I needed to tell you."

"You wanna spar again! This time I'll be ready for your fancy footwork!"

"Not even close, knucklehead." He dismissed the notion without a moment's hesitation. "Asuma told me that the old man wanted to talk to you for a minute."

Naruto blinked twice before scratching his head. "Did they explain what this is all about, or was it meant to be some nasty surprise training session?" he paled at the thought.

The genius shrugged his shoulders. "Hell if I know. The masters want you to show up in the main building as soon as possible. Asuma didn't say anything else, and since it wasn't really my concern, I didn't bother asking questions."

"You mean it's not your concern to look out for the well being of your friends?" the blonde reiterated incredulously.

Shikamaru spun around again, choosing to ignore this last comment rather than dignify it with an answer. "Later…" he muttered nonchalantly, not even bothering to spare another glance.

Naruto watched his friend leave with a light-hearted smile, having long gotten used to the genius and his general lack of expression. After dusting off his shorts in an attempt to look somewhat presentable, he headed down the hill towards the main dojo building where the elder usually spent his days practicing and smoking a pipe. Despite his age, Hiruzen trained diligently in solitude everyday in order to keep his skills sharp, something that all of his students and fellow masters couldn't help but admire.

As Konoha's top disciple approached the front doors, he could make out a series of blurred movements so fast that his eyes couldn't completely follow. As if sensing his presence, the elder seemed to materialize directly in front of Naruto, a grandfatherly smile gracing his wizened old features. Sarutobi took a step forward leaning on his staff to support his weight, and nudged open the front doors welcomingly.

"I see you came on time… Please do come in." Hiruzen ushered his student forward in a hospitable manner, prompting the boy to remove his shoes.

Naruto noticed that Sarutobi was carrying himself with a sense of frailty as usual, silently wondering how he could move with such inhuman speed at one moment, while appearing old and brittle seconds later. All of Konoha's students had heard rumors of the old man's legendary strength from their respective teachers, but none of them had ever seen him in battle. Even Guy had once shuddered while recounting the grandmaster's past life, having personally witnessed the event firsthand.

The sound of the elder's staff echoed across the wooden floor as he stepped past Naruto, his demeanor as kind and lighthearted as ever. "If you would be so kind as to follow me, we have some important things to discuss."

"I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" the blonde slumped his shoulders with a grimace.

"If you speak of that battle with the Uchiha boy and his companions, than I digress." Hiruzen replied with a dismissive gesture, his expression becoming much more serious moments later. "One of the more powerful incentives to become stronger is experiencing the sting of defeat. A man like me can understand this even more due to experience."

The younger fighter took a while to let this sink in, but his mind quickly returned to something interesting he had heard about the old man. Although it took him a moment to come up with the courage to ask, he eventually decided to go with it. "I remember hearing from Master Jiraiya that Hayato Furinji never once lost a fight."

"To my knowledge that is most certainly true, but he is only a single person among several billion humans living on this planet. The majority of us have not only experienced defeat, but learned from it as well. I am certain that your friend Lee would be more than happy to testify to this, considering what he was like when we first began his training."

Naruto understood the principle all too well, having struggled himself at times. Master Jiraiya had acknowledged him as a very talented fighter from their first few lessons years ago, although even possessing a strong lineage and natural ability did little to make the training any easier. The perverted sage had seen to that, knowing that the only way to bring out a fighter's true potential was through tough experiences.

As he followed the elder up the stairs, they entered the hallway leading to his workspace. The old master opened the door and took a seat the wooden table, gesturing for Naruto to take the other chair. The blonde disciple couldn't help but admire the portraits positioned on the opposite wall, the faces of the dojo's grandmasters having admired them since he was a toddler. To the far right was the face of his father Minato Namikaze, followed by a young Hiruzen, Tobirama Senju, and his older brother Hashirama Senju.

Hiruzen smiled proudly as he noticed where the boy's attention was. After taking a moment to admire the pictures, the old man let out a hoarse yet cheerful laugh that quickly caught his charge's attention. "You're the same as ever, aren't you?" he began happily. "Even as a child, you couldn't help but feel inspired by the great fighters of the past."

Naruto grinned widely. "I plan on becoming the best one day. I vowed as a child to surpass everyone on that wall, even you and my father."

"You're well on your way, my friend." Watching this boy, the elder silently remembered the distant days of his own youth when he had said the same thing. After all, one of the most precious things to a master was hearing their own words repeated by a student.

"I don't think so… All those guys… I'll never be as good as them." The disciple's expression suddenly dropped as the past battles replayed in his mind, his confidence wavering slightly as the pain of Neji's palm strikes reverberated through his body.

"That's hardly the type of speech I would expect from this institution's top student. What makes you say something like that?"

He grit his teeth and looked down, the feelings of helplessness returning. "I've been talking big for years, but when it came time to fight for real, I couldn't do anything."

Sarutobi took out his pipe and lit it, taking in a breath of smoke to relax his nerves. He could feel the tension emanating from the boy, and it was beginning to spread. "That is precisely the reason why I called you here today."

"Why? To tell me that I'll never become a true martial artist if I can't even save a single friend." Naruto added gloomily.

"A true martial artist stands up upon defeat and continues aiming to become stronger."

"Haven't you been watching us this past week. We've been training up a storm in order to defeat Sasuke and that band of jerks."

The elder nodded once, gently exhaling a mouthful of tobacco-filled smoke. "I admire your spirit, but motivation without proper guidance can sometimes prove more harmful in the wrong situation." He considered the boy for a second before removing the pipe from his mouth. "The day your friends fought with that gang, a strong power awoke within you."

Naruto frowned again, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Sheesh… What on Earth are you going on about now? The only thing I remember happening was getting my face rearranged and my internal organs crushed."

"From the deck of my living quarters, I sensed a powerful explosion of ki rippling across the city like an electric current. Everyone of Konoha's masters felt it."

"Are sure it wasn't Sasuke?" he asked with a look of mild disbelief.

"We have long been aware of your nature as a fighter. There is no doubt in my mind that the power we felt was your inner ki awakening. Dou-type fighters such as yourself rely on emotions to fuel their rage. These strong feelings of passion and aggression are the source of strength for those who walk the path of Dou. Certainly you have come to understand this much through personal experience in the heat of battle."

The young fighter leaned forward interestedly. "Really!? What exactly does that mean?"

"Most people unlock this power at a later age, but the sheer emotional strain you suffered from the pain of loss and the betrayal of a friend has caused this ability to awaken much sooner than any of us had anticipated." Hiruzen set down his pipe and tucked his hands behind his back. "I believe it is best that we adjust your training so that you will learn to exert a level of control over this power."

"If it helps me get stronger, I'm in!" Naruto responded, his face displaying signs of satisfaction for the first time in a while. He crunched his knuckles together. "Next time I see those creeps, it's payback time for what they did to my friends!"

The elder sighed wearily, although he didn't seem entirely upset by the reaction either. "I admire your spirit, but first we must begin by training you to overcome some of your more fundamental shortcomings. Before you master a new power, you must learn how to take full advantage of that which you already possess."

"Just what I that supposed to mean, old man?" the blonde questioned, sounding both insulted and curious at the same time. "I know we got our butts handed to us back there, but learning new moves might give us as edge next time."

"Do not misunderstand… The next phase of your training will be more beneficial if you can overcome that which has held you back." Upon seeing the boy's confused expression, he decided to elaborate with an example his student would certainly understand. "Master Jiraiya said that you defeated Kenichi Shirahama in your sparring match. At the same time, you claimed to have been helpless against an opponent that Ryozanpaku's Disciple was able to combat."

"Yeah I guess… but… … Wait a minute! How did you even find out about that? Master Guy, granny Tsunade, and the old perv said they weren't going to tell you about it!"

"I've known those kids for the majority of their lives and a good portion of my own. You'll find it very difficult to keep secrets from a man like me, especially within the walls of this dojo." The elder replied with a feeling of self-pride. "I've always done well to practice my stealth skills everyday in case the purpose to use it arises."

Naruto blushed slightly as he remembered some of the embarrassing things he had said and done over the years before shaking his head indignantly. "Sheesh old man, sometimes you're even scarier than the weird snake lady."

Sarutobi let out a hoarse laugh before patting the boys shoulder. "Before we wander too far into that territory, I think it would be best to address the main issue at hand. Tell me, do you believe that the Shirahama boy was stronger than you as a martial artist?"

"I guess not, considering I still managed to beat him during our fight. Don't know if he was holding back or not, but even then it was his choice too…" He reasoned shakily while wearing a confounded look. "Come to think of it, you still didn't answer my other question.

"Ah yes, I was hoping you would come back to that. The point I was trying to make earlier is that your skill sets were lacking in an area in which Kenichi Shirahama was more than capable, hence why he was able to match an opponent that you found exceedingly difficult to even touch, let alone defeat."

"Big deal, so what if he can do things that I can't. So long as I keep training, my skills will keep growing and I won't need to worry about people weaker than me."

"Wrong!" the elder suddenly raised a hand, shaking his head grimly. "Becoming overconfident no matter how powerful you are as a fighter can have disastrous consequences. No doubt every master you have trained with up until this point has warned you of these dangers."

Naruto sat back down and sighed with acceptance before resting his hands on his knees. "So what should I do then?"

"You must overcome this hurtle! We gave you your title because every master here saw in you the markings of greatness. The time has come for you to prove yourself worthy of holding the title of Konoha's Number One Disciple!"

"I'm ready for whatever training you guys have for me! Just tell me what we need to do."

He drew himself up to his full height, standing a little straighter despite his age. "The first step is to teach you how to combat opponents who utilize strong defensive tactics. From what you were able to tell us, that Hyuga Prodigy's strong abilities served as a perfect counter to your naturally aggressive fighting style."

Naruto looked down, subconsciously caressing the spot on his chest where he had been struck by Neji's palm. "That guy…" he muttered with a note of bitterness. "I almost lost an arm just to score one lousy hit on the dude, but even then I still couldn't gain the upper hand."

"This is because your most common tactic is to smash through the opponent's guard. When this strategy didn't work, you were forced to take more drastic measures."

"Maybe if I had taken that same chance earlier in the fight, I could've knocked him out with a single punch."

The elder shook his head again, the boy's display of ignorance only providing more evidence as to why he needed their help. "Tenacity is crucial in the martial arts, and I admire your possession of this quality, but technique and strategy is equally important."

"Who says I don't use technique!? Of course I do!" Naruto began with an irritable look.

"You are impatient in the midst of battle, and eager to lash out at your opponents. In order to defeat a member of the Hyuga Family like Hinata's cousin, you must first learn the basic principles behind their abilities." He paused for a moment and inclined his head with a stern expression. "Therefore, you will begin your training with Kurenai tomorrow afternoon."

"I wasn't scheduled to start learning the Baguazhang style until next month!"

"Considering you have been targeted by a prodigy who trains in that style, it has become a necessity for you to understand the movements."

"The basics won't be enough against this guy! He mixes his style with the Seikuken to make an impenetrable area around his body. Even if I know how it works, it'll take too long to learn how to master it to that extent!"

Hiruzen stood up from his seat, his expression unchanged. "Knowing the fundamentals of the Baguazhang style will help you understand your opponent better, and thus aid in your training to counter it. We do not expect you to gain that level of mastery in a short amount of time."

The corners of Naruto's mouth drooped. "Gee… Thanks for the vote of confidence, gramps."

"It is simply unrealistic to believe that you could learn to be as proficient as Neji in such a short period of time. He is a prodigy the likes of which the world rarely sees, and has no doubt trained his entire life in order to reach that level of mastery."

The blonde disciple clenched his fists and scowled. "I'll do whatever it takes to defeat him, that's a promise! The big jerk attacked Hinata and called her useless. I don't know what kind of guy would do that to his own cousin, but no one picks on my friends and gets away with it!"

The scenario replayed itself in Naruto's mind as he remembered the condition he found his friends upon arriving on the battlefield. They had all taken severe beatings from Team Hebi, some of them bleeding or unconscious. According to Sakura, the Sumo wrestler Thor from the Shinpaku Alliance had come close to dying from the internal injuries dealt by the enemy's towering enforcer. Knowing that he had once considered Sasuke his best friend made him sick to the stomach, since it had been the very same boy who ordered this horrific attack.

Sarutobi's words quickly cut through his thoughts, bring the boy back to the present. "Since your battle with the young Hyuga was unresolved, he will no doubt seek you out again to remedy the situation. If I am correct, it will be sooner than later, hence the urgency of this training!"

Naruto jabbed at the air aggressively, his passion returning. "Then let's get this new training regimen started as soon as possible!"

"That is precisely our intentions." The elder replied with a tiny nod, his robes shifting as he shuffled over to the door. "Until then, it's a glorious day outside! You really should go and enjoy yourself for the time being. Take advantage of it while you can… When the next phase of your training begins, you may not have the time to laze about!"

"I'm ready for it! Don't worry, it'll take a lot more than one measly loss to keep someone like me down for the count!"

"Just what I would expect from the son of the Yellow Flash." Hiruzen nodded with a cheerful expression, once again glad to see that his judgment about the boy had been correct. The sound of screams coming from outside quickly caught their attention, causing the old fighter to turn to the window. "Hmmm… I wonder what all that racket could be?"

Naruto joined him, his eye widening as he caught sight of something he never would've expected in a million years. "What the Hell is that!" The bottom of his mouth dropped onto the floor.

On the grounds below Tsunade was angrily pursing someone, her image appearing only for a second as she pursued a blur darting across the dojo grounds. Whenever the second shape tried to escape the grounds, Tsunade would immediately intercept it, causing the mystery intruder to run in the opposite direction. Although Naruto could barely make out what was going on, the elder seemed highly amused by the proceedings.

"What's all that about?" Naruto watched as the chase moved out of sight.

"Some things are better left unsaid, although I would recommend you avoid getting involved at all costs. Heaven knows what happened, but even I have no intention to step into such chaos."

The busty woman paused for a moment shaking her first, her eyes alive with murderous intent. "Taking picture of a naked woman in the privacy of her own home, how much lower can you get?" she screamed, causing her target to slow down.

A man wearing a green Chinese uniform and a bowler hat appeared several meters away, waving his hand profusely. "This isn't what you think!" he blurted out, ducking the side and weaving around as she crossed the gap and began swinging at his head. "I can explain!"

"Go to Hell, you damned pervert!" she screamed, her hand reducing a boulder to rubble as she missed her opponent and struck the rock.

Kensei Ma used his diminutive size to scoot past her again. "I told you it's not my fault!" he moved his head, backing away from her while painstakingly dodging each consecutive blow. "Don't do anything you might regret!" he screamed with a panicked expression before bursting out. "It was all Jiraiya's fault!"

Tsunade froze suddenly, a large vein pulsing on her forehead. She grit her teeth before grabbing the smaller man by the front of his shirt. "Did you just say what I thought you said?" she glared into his eyes.

"I would appreciate it if you let me go first!" she released him, giving the Chinese Master a moment to dust himself off and straighten up.

"Spit it out, you little weasel!" She swallowed her irritation and folded her arms, doing the best to resist the temptation to strike out at him again.

"The truth is, I lost a bet to Jiraiya the other day when that blonde knucklehead defeated my own disciple. It's typically not my style to take pictures of older women, no matter how many rejuvenation techniques they use to preserve their youth." He shook his head, jumping just in time to avoid a kick as she reacted to the insult. "Eek! My apologies, Lady Tsunade."

"Cut the crap! You're seriously trying to tell me that the old toad asked you to take nude pictures of me? That's sounds too low, even for him!"

"Hey Kensei, did you get the pictures?" Jiraiya stepped out from behind a corner, his eyes widening in terror when he caught sight of who was standing there. The shorter man waved his hands as if trying to signal him, but his fellow pervert was too busy babbling incoherently. "Shit, why did I let my guard down?" he cursed himself.

"So this was your doing, Jiraiya!" Tsunade turned on him, the force of her killing intent causing the ground to quake violently.

Jiraiya leaned back defensively like a cornered animal before trying to rationalize things in his favor. "In my defense, I wasn't the one holding the camera. But even so, is it really a crime to admire the beauty of the female form, especially one as perfect as yours?"

"I've prefer someone a little younger. A more genuine beauty unspoiled by the test of time, if you know what I mean?" Kensei added, stroking his mustache with a thoughtful expression while glancing at his old friend. "What do you say to that Jiraiya?"

The other man stroked his chin, as he seized the topic. "Hmmm… You bring up a pretty good point, however I have to disagree. Sometimes age adds a certain level of maturity and self-confidence that can be infinitely more attractive than the young and inexperienced appearance of the typical high school girl."

Tsunade placed a hand on his shoulder, her grip tightening menacingly as her temper began rising again. "Are you two seriously doing this in front of me?"

The two perverts glanced back at her, their eyes alive with bone-chilling fear as the angry woman crunched her knuckles and began stomping towards them. Without warning Kensei Ma vanished in a flash of green, his smaller form bolting through the gates of Konoha in the blink of an eye. Jiraiya leapt backwards to avoid a kick to the gut and followed suit, the two men running like cowards through the streets.

"You ratted me out, didn't you?" Jiraiya screamed, with a look of outrage.

"All you said was that I had to take the pictures and giving them to you! You didn't say anything about me keeping your dirty little secrets."

The older master mentally slapped himself before quickening his pace. "I figured it wouldn't have been a problem for the world's greatest master of Chinese Martial Arts." He glanced over his shoulder, noting the speeding wall of ki falling closely behind. "Crap she's gaining!"

"Why the Hell is she after me? You're the one who came up with this stupid idea!" Kensei smirked as he noticed the camera around his neck, gently giving it a toss towards his companion. He grinned when Jiraiya instinctually caught it. "I'm betting she wants the photos more than my ass. This is where we part ways, old friend!"

"Wait a minute! What are you doing?" Jiraiya fumbled with camera, his expression dropping as he realized the ramifications of what just happened. "You dirty rat!"

"Be certain to stop by Akisame's Clinic once she's finished destroying you!" Kensei tipped his hat like a gentleman before vaulted over a nearby building, smiling with satisfaction as the chase continued on without him. He wiped the sweat from his brow and took off. "Have fun, Jiraiya!"

"You'll pay for this!" the white-haired master called out, his complexion paling as the woman behind him drew closer. With one last spurt of strength, he jumped into the air and seemingly disappeared entirely, leaving her fuming in the streets by herself. He pressed his back against the wall as she ran by, taking a moment to breathe. "Today has to be the second time in my life I ever thought I was going to die…"

Meanwhile… 

Loki stood in the middle of Team Hebi's main meeting room, beads of sweat running down his forehead as the others bore down on him. He could feel the tension in the air growing when no one spoke right away, only furthering the lurch of dread in his stomach. Today's meeting was to address last week's event more thoroughly. Although their leader had shrugged off the escape of their two most important prisoners, the marks Loki received from his punishment had yet to fade.

Sasuke sat on the raised dais with his eyes closed and his hands folded as if he were meditating, his underlings standing two separate lines on both sides of the room's crimson carpet. Several torches on the walls of the darkened room flickered as they burned away, casting malevolent shadows over the hooded figures. Karin snickered in amusement from beneath her cloak, but dared not to break the silence of the assembly until their leader was ready.

As if sensing her intentions, the Devil Fist raised his hand and began to speak. "It appears you've been punished enough, Loki… Therefore I am releasing you from house arrest. You are once again free to participate in any gang activities, and will be allowed you to seek medical attention if you deem in necessary."

"That's very generous of you." The former Fourth Fist bowed with a scheming expression, his previous fear evaporating. "I do have some suggestions that might prove quite affective, if you are willing to let me present my prior knowledge of our potential enemies."

The Uchiha acknowledged him with a small nod before shifting his gaze to the other side of the room. "There is still the matter of your punishment, isn't that right, Shino?"

"I already accepted the beating you scheduled. What else could you possibly want from me?"

Sasuke sat back with a relaxed demeanor. "There are a few loose ends that need to tie up before engaging the Shinpaku Alliance, and I believe that you two should be the ones to handle it."

"Shino remained undaunted by the notion. "If I were to guess… You want us to recapture Haku and Kiba. Am I correct?"

"Not exactly what I had in mind." Their leader replied with a sneer, his eyes widening with a sense of madness. "I want them dead!"

"Sounds like an appropriate enough mission, although it's been awhile since those guys ran off." Loki pondered out loud, exchanging a quick glance with the others. "If they had half a brain, the traitors probably would've left town by now. I'm telling you now, there's no way I'm getting involved if we have to search the entire country for those losers!"

Karin placed her hands on her hips and shook her head. "I'm certain the boss has a plan. If you two stooges actually took a moment to listen, maybe you would learn something."

"You both seem to misunderstand the situation." Sasuke replied in an emotionless drawl, his words quickly silencing the others. "The traitors both share a certain dislike of Team Hebi in itself, despite having joined us for different reasons. Due to this, I believe they will remain close by order to interfere with our operations."

Kimimaro exhaled deeply as he assessed the situation in his mind. "I think I understand now. You wish to lure them out of hiding so that we can deal with them one a more permanent basis?"

"Or hunt them down… No matter what approach you choose, the end result is all that matters." The boss replied without an ounce of sympathy. He shifted his attention to the two men standing in the center of the room. "I'm giving you the liberty to accomplish this by any means necessary. You can work with that, right?"

Loki snickered with an evil grin. "No limitation then? That makes things a lot more fun for me!"

Before the other man could answer, Suigetsu stepped forward aggressively. "It's been a while since I've had some fieldwork. Let me in on this action, too!"

"You just want to take the credit for yourself!" the goggled man retorted.

"No, I've just been having too much fun testing my new meddle to say no this opportunity." The shark-like man explained with a merciless expression. "If you kids have a problem with me tagging along, I can always put you down instead."

"That would be the reasoning of a savage…" the Hyuga clansmen commented haughtily.

The swordsman's expression became suddenly hostile as reached for his blade. "Would you rather fight me, Neji?"

"Do not tempt me, for I would like nothing more right now than to silence that tongue."

"That's enough of that." Jugo stepped forward, his hulking presence bringing the others back to their senses. "You know the rules of Team Hebi; fighting is prohibited among the leaders when not authorized by our leader."

Sasuke stood up suddenly, causing the others to return to their places in line. "I approve of your involvement Suigetsu, so long as you do not act independently from the group. As Jugo just said, you will not be forgiven should you disobey orders and attack your own teammates. Am I understood?"

"Yeah, sure thing." The shark-like man waved the notion aside with a bored expression.

"I think it may be best to include you, since our third target is someone you know all too well. Hermit has recently been attacking members of our organization while searching for information concerning our whereabouts."

"Oh yeah, I owe that dude big time!" Suigetsu bared his teeth angrily at the memory of the beating he had received during their last encounter. "He's dead when I catch up to him!"

"He's probably still angry at me after I used him to fight my battles a while back." Loki explained through grit teeth as he remembered the scene at the abandoned church. He had lied in order to force Hermit into helping him, only for Odin to ruin everything. "Damn them!"

"I'm a little surprised you're leaving the task up to them, especially considering that you expressed the desire to kill them all yourself." Karin mused.

The Devil Fist inclined his head slowly. "That reminds me… I actually have some business to handle outside of town, and will be absent for a short period of time."

She straightened her glasses with a knowing expression. "You've been learning martial arts from the Serpent God himself. Does this have anything to do with your training for the syndicate?"

He nodded to affirm that she was correct. "My master wishes to continue our experiments in pushing the boundaries of the human body, and I remain his most successful disciple in this regard." He explained, giving them just enough information without revealing too much. "Due to my time training with the master, I leave Jugo in charge in my absence."

"You mean to have him act as your proxy?" Kagero asked in her neutral tones.

"I have entrusted him with this duty knowing that he will not produce any radical decisions without my approval. Of course, if anyone here has a problem with my decision, they are free to challenge him for the right to lead." He beckoned the group, resulting in a wall of silence.

While the majority of them wouldn't have minded the authority, none were willing to challenge the giant fighter's strength. His power far outclassed the majority of them, and none were willing to risk dying for something so pointless. Although he wasn't a killer by nature, Jugo was more than capable of taking lives so long as their leader gave him the order. Even worse was his rage mode, during which he lost all inhibitions and would kill anything that moved.

"I'm glad to see we have an understanding." Sasuke replied calmly, his gaze shifting to the man standing to his right. "So Neji, I'm a little curious about the abilities of our two largest targets. You fought Kenichi Shirahama and my idiot former friend if I remember correctly. Give me your assessment of their abilities."

"It was unusual…" he began, earning a series of snickers from the others. "Kenichi Shirahama displayed unusual strength for someone with no inherent talent or lineage in the martial arts. In comparison, Naruto Uzumaki comes of noble stock and was severely lacking in his fighting abilities. Neither of them would have measured up had we had continued, of that I am certain."

"I seem to recall you received an injury from the blonde kid." Suigetsu added snarkily, causing the other man's eye to twitch. "If he was so bad at fighting, then you must really be slipping. To think one of Team Hebi's Archdemons would let himself get decked by untalented trash."

Neji refused to take the bait. "He was only able to penetrate my defense by sacrificing a limb. If this is the limitation of his abilities, I am certain even someone like you could defeat him."

"It'll be more than you were able to do." The swordsman retorted, his sharpened teeth showing.

"Having your fight interrupted by another person tends to complicate the situation. Perhaps you are incapable of even comprehending the most simplistic concepts."

Suigetsu scowled at the elitist Hyuga, having had enough of listening to his condescension. At the same time the swordsman knew he had started it, and continuing would have unpleasant consequences whether their leader decided to step in or he was forced to fight Neji. The former option frightened him more than the latter, but even then he wasn't certain whether or not he could defeat the Baguazhang user without drastic measures.

Seeing that neither of them was willing to pursue the conflict, Sasuke addressed the assembly once more. "I have one more piece of information to relay before we adjourn for the today." He paused, causing the others to shift uneasily in anticipation.

"Does this have anything to do with the Great Serpent God?" Neji questioned pensively.

Their leader wore a deathly serious expression. "The master is searching for a new disciple among the ranks of Team Hebi. He is willing to grant this position based on your performances in the battlefield, and my testimony of your abilities as martial artists."

"The chance to be taken on as a disciple by one of the greatest masters of his generation sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime. Certain better than being one of his guinea pigs." Karin said.

Loki adjusted his goggles with an amused smirk. "It's a shame those two traitors weren't around to hear that they missed the deal of a lifetime."

"My brother's much stronger than that old snake ever was, even in his prime. I'm already learning from the best there is, so I don't have any interest in this deal you're slapping on the table." Suigetsu replied nonchalantly.

Kimimaro remained unconvinced. "If the choice is entirely up to the master, then we needn't concern ourselves directly. Those of us who desire his favor need only train to the best of our ability and hone our skills in the hopes that we will be chosen."

Sasuke stood up and headed towards the exit, his face impassive. "The rest of you can leave whenever you want, but I have more important things to do." He turned on them, his eyes flashing menacingly "I hope the rest of you can function without my guidance for a week, since I won't be able to contact you until my return."

The shark-like swordsman smirked, showing off his viscously sharpened teeth. "Say boss, you wouldn't be too upset if some of these morons were to have a tragic accident, right?"

"You can take turns killing each other for all I care, just make sure you exterminate the enemy before turning on your own teammates." He replied with a half-serious note.

Sasuke wasn't worried about the possibility of infighting, considering that Jugo had been ordered to prevent such a scenario from happening if the need arose. Even though he possessed this much discretion, the Devil Fist cared very little for the majority of his subordinates and would kill them himself if he deemed it necessary. He hesitated a moment before slipping through the black curtain leading into the next room, disappearing from the view of the others. By the time the others followed his example, their leader had left the building.

Later that Night… 

Two figures slid silently through the darkness, knowing full well that if they were caught on enemy territory, it would mean almost certain death. As they traversed the halls of the building, both men remained silent as shadows. The building was owned by an extremely powerful global conglomerate, which was in turn operated by the mysterious worldwide syndicate, Yami. So far they hadn't run into any major trouble during the infiltration, which was good considering their duty was to collect information rather than start a fight with the enemy.

"We've arrived…" the first man warned as they slipped through a door, entering an office like workspace containing several terminals and a number of filing cabinets. "I'm betting the information concerning the enemy's secret experiments is contained somewhere in this room."

His fellow insurgent nodded quickly. "I'll keep watch in case security comes by to make their rounds. See if you can't find anything useful in the meantime." She replied in a lighter tone.

As one of them took a crouching position by the door, the other snuck through the darkness and cracked open one of the cabinets. Since they had disabled the security system on the way in, this side of the building was currently unprotected by the network. In addition to an endless supply of resources, Yami was able to afford the most up to date technology. It had been a challenge for them, with so many people prowling the grounds, and a state-of-the-art system to penetrate.

The man removed his mask, revealing short dark hair, dark eyes, and lines under his eyes that made him look exceedingly tired. Hayate Gekko had been a student of Konoha and remained loyal to them long after he achieved the rank of master for himself. Cracking open a draw, he began searching through several written documents in search of anything that might prove useful in determining the enemy's plans. It had taken them quite some time to discover a location affiliated with the syndicate, and he was determined not to make this trip a waste of time.

"This is going to take some time considering the elder didn't give us any specific information about this facility." His partner whispered.

"Don't complain… You volunteered for this mission." Hayate replied, suppressing a couth with the side of his hand.

The woman removed her mask, revealing shoulder length black hair and dark eyes. "Actually it was Lady Tsunade who volunteered me for this mission. She said I was the best when it came to infiltration and espionage. That's how I was roped into a dangerous mission like this."

He jumped slightly as a noise sounded in the distance. "Hey Shizune! Did you hear that?"

She nodded with an exaggerated frown. "It looks like we're about to have some company!"

As soon as she said this, several men wearing dark outfits similar to their own had surrounded them from all sides, the room's light flickering on as several men wielding swords stepped into the mix. Although the enemy fighters wore masks over their faces, the strong killing intent in the air made it clear why they had come.

"Here we go…" Shizune swallowed nervously, pressing her back against her partner's.

Hayate unsheathed a black-colored katana from his waist, grasping the hilt with both hands. "I don't suppose you fellas would be willing to overlook this little intrusion of ours." He reasoned with an asthmatic cough.

"Kill them!" one of the guards screamed, prompting the others to join the charge.

"Can't say I didn't try…" the weary-looking swordsman raised his blade and charged through the mob of attackers, leaving several of them bleeding and lying unconscious on the floor in the blink of an eye. "I cut some tendons, but you guys should live."

Shizune leapt backwards and pulled back her long sleeve, revealing a needle-shooting weapon concealed underneath. Having trained with someone who specialized in the fields of medicine, she had learned how to make poisons that paralyzed the human body on contact, and coated each of her senbon with them ahead of time. Although most of her attackers quickly succumbed to the assault, a man with a pair of thin spiked blades swatted the needles away and advanced on her.

"Looks like we ran into a master, after all." She reasoned out loud, dodging his swings and countering with striking hand movements.

"Die!" he screamed, thrusting both blades forward in an attempt to impale her.

She opened her mouth and spit a pair of poison-tipped needles, forcing her opponent to block with his own weapons. Seeing his hesitation, Shizune threw him off balance by focusing her kicks at his lower section, forcing her opponent to jump backwards as she began gaining ground. The masked swordsman locked blades with Hayate as he came around from the back, but was struck through the shoulder by a needle coated in muscle relaxant, and rendered unable to move his body.

"Using those gimmicks again, I see." Hayate sheathed his sword with a bored expression.

"I suggest we escape while we still have the chance." Instead of answering him, she opened the window and leapt out rolling briefly before landing on her feet. Her partner followed wordlessly, quickly catching up moments later.

They tore across the grounds, lights flashing overhead as guards began their pursuit. "Looks like the mission was a failure." He stated with a cough, no longer caring whether or not they were heard. "Hiruzen should have sent in some of the others with us, that way we could've taken this place down using force."

Shizune exhaled as she considered the chaos that had quickly unfolded. "That wasn't the point of this and you know it. Our job was gathering information, not taking down one of their bases."

"Just a moment…" Seeing a handful of guards charging towards them, Hayate took the initiative and drew his katana, knocking out as many as he could while holding back just enough to spare their lives. He had always been considered a wizard when it came time to wielding a katana; something his master had commended him on years ago.

His partner planted her hand into the gut of her attackers, tossing the hulking man aside with a movement of her wrist. "At this rate, we might not be able to make to safety before Yami calls in the special response division to pursue us!"

Several men wielding katana seemed to materialize out of nowhere moments later, each of them marginally more skilled than the commonplace guards that had accosted them so far. Shizune tensed up as she sensed their approach, having expected more master-level fighters to show up at some point before they escaped.

"The weapons division…" Hayate muttered with a dismal expression, his hands tightening around the handle of his own weapon.

She felt a drop of sweat drip down her forehead. "Looks like we're outnumbered. What do you suppose we do now?"

Her partner let out a wheeze before answering her. "I say we should fight…" he answered.

Before either of them could raise their weapons, two of the enemy fights were grabbed from behind and slammed into the ground, knocking them both out cold. The sudden attack from the rear caused several of the others to address the situation, only to be knocked out a swift series of hand movements, following by a double palm thrust. The newcomer quickly overwhelmed the guards before removing his mask, revealing spiky gray hair and a mask covering the lower half of his face.

Shizune sighed in relief, although she looked slightly irritated by his sudden entrance. "About time Kakashi, you sure know how to cut it close! A few more seconds and we might've been dead. I thought you were supposed to join us after you finished disabling the security network?"

"Sorry about that!" the masked man replied nonchalantly. "I always did have a tendency to be late, if you know what I mean?"

"At least you showed up before we ran into some real trouble…" Hayate replied with a half smile, looking slightly less detached than usual.

No sooner had she said this then a large shape darted in front of the trio. Although Kakashi and Shizune managed to dodge their attacker's strike, Hayate was not so lucky. The new assailant seized the sickly katana-user by arm, smashing him headfirst into the ground with the force of a collapsing skyscraper. The impact was so powerful that it sent shockwaves across the ground, forcing the others to jump to avoid losing their footing. Shizune let out a frightened squeal as she caught sight of her teammate's body lying motionless on the ground, his face distorted by the sheer amount of blood.

"No… Not now!" Kakashi spoke out loud, his eyes widening in terror as their attacker stepped into the flickering searchlights.

"What's he doing here!?" Shizune shouted, almost swallowing her own tongue in the process.

He was a large muscular man with long dark hair slicked back away from his face, which was covered by a smiling lucha libre mask. He wore a brightly colored spandex wrestling costume, metallic shoulder guards, and a shiny golden belt bearing his insignia. Two vertical stripes ran down the front of his outfit trailing from his shoulders down to his legs, and a pair of heavy boots, making his look like some kind of masked hero. The man raised his leg, stepping on the body of their deceased teammate with a wide smile.

"The Smiling Steel Fist, Diego Carlo; representative of the One Shadow Nine Fists…" Kakashi spoke with a note of disgust, his eyes narrowing with contempt as his glared into eyes of the larger man. "To think we would run into you in a place like this."

"It's an honor you've hear of me, Kakashi Hatake; Master of a Thousand Techniques and the son of Konoha's White Fang." He returned with an unusually cheerful grin, his hands crunching as if he would like nothing more than to snap his opponent's neck. "I've heard a lot about you, and your purportedly legendary father."

The gray-haired master refused to back down. "I've heard quite a bit about you as well. They say you like to turn every fight into a spectacle for the masses."

"Not every fight, just the good ones." The Mexican Wrestler replied, casually stomping his foot into the spine of their companion. "Your friend here wouldn't have put up enough of a challenge for me to thrill an audience. An instant win doesn't please the crowd as much as a grand battle, wouldn't you agree?"

"Don't make light of our friend's death!" Shizune screamed, steeping forward aggressively.

"Shizune!" Kakashi raised a hand to halt her, his neck craning back at her. "You need to get out of here. Stay here and you'll only be in the way."

"You can't fight that monster alone!" she called out, only to receive a glare from her friend.

"I'll be able to fight better without worrying about the safety of my comrades. Get going before you get caught in the middle and up like Hayate."

She swallowed nervously before breaking into a run. "Don't get yourself killed!"

The team's female disappeared over the wall lining the edge of the grounds, moving past the guards with her superior speed. Once she was gone, Kakashi turned to his opponent and frowned, a gesture that was covered by his mask. "Now then, I don't suppose I'm getting out of here without a fight?"

Diego let out a boisterous laugh and pounded the ground with his fist to show off his immense strength. "You probably won't be leaving at all with that attitude!" he bellowed glancing around at the sparse grounds. "Looks like we could use a change of scenery for this battle!"

He muttered something into a communication device in his hand, causing the guards in the tower to position the spotlights so that they were focused completely on the center of the grounds where both men were standing. Kakashi shielded his face from the intense light for a moment while his eyes adjusted, his body automatically dodging as Carlo's attempted to grab him from behind. Although he could see now, it looked as though the wrestler had tried taking advantage of his temporary blindness to gain the upper hand.

"The sunglasses under your mask shield your eyes from the light of those towers." The gray-haired master deduced calmly. "Very clever…"

"I was just trying to create the proper ambience. Since we can't take this into the ring, I figured we could at least cast the proper lighting for a real fight. No sneaking around in the dark for you anymore, Mr. Ninja." He replied mockingly.

Kakashi took a moment to breathe, his eyes sliding towards the body of his fallen comrade. "I think you've defiled my friend's corpse long enough."

"That piece of trash!? You can have him back, so long as you put up a good enough show for the folks at home." He gestured to the men in the control towers, several of which were holding up video cameras. "Once I win, we'll broadcast this fight nationwide!"

"And if I win this fight, you hand over Hayate's body and allow me to leave unharmed."

"If you're able to, then go right ahead!" the wrestler answered, his smile widening considerably. "I wouldn't count on it if I were you!"

"And I wouldn't be so smug if I were you!" Kakashi reached into his pockets, pulling out a pair of gloves lined with metal plating. "All right, let's do this…"

Note to Readers: Phew, this one took me awhile. Guess that's what happens when you start running out of ideas on where to go next with a story. If you guys have anything to offer n that front, please feel free to contribute. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, and thanks for sticking with me this long. Sorry for any typos or errors in spelling or grammar, but as usual I write this story pretty late at night.

Until next time, please review. I could use some inspiration to keep this going, and welcome some reader ideas now more than ever. If you have anything at all to contribute, please drop your comment and I might take it into consideration.


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